American Radio Relay League - Hints and Kinks For The Radio Amateur (1992, American Radio Relay League (ARRL) )
American Radio Relay League - Hints and Kinks For The Radio Amateur (1992, American Radio Relay League (ARRL) )
American Radio Relay League - Hints and Kinks For The Radio Amateur (1992, American Radio Relay League (ARRL) )
for the
Radio Amateur
Editor
Robert Schefgen, KU7G
Contributing Editor
David Newkirk, WJ1Z
Cover design by
Sue Fagan
Production work by
Shelly Bloom, WB1ENT
Jodi Morin, KA1JPA
Joe Shea
Deborah SfrzfJskowskl
Published by
• The American Radio Relay League, Inc.
Newington, CT 06111
Copyright e 1992 by
Printed in USA
ISBN; 0-87259-385-1
Thirteenth Edition
Second Printing, 1993
$9.00 In USA
Foreword=========
Are you looking for fun in Amateur Radio? Many QST readers say they need
look no further than the monthly Hints and Kinks column. Each month, Hints
and Kinks brings QST readers the most creative ideas of other resourceful
hams. Every few years, the best of the recent SUbmissions are gathered up
and reorganized into a convenient reference volume.
This edition of Hints and Kinks is the thirteenth in a line that stretches back
almost 60 years! A ham stepping out of a time machine from 1933 would
scarcely recognize any of our modern equipment. We have whole
transceivers that are smaller than some vacuum tubes of that time! He or she
might recognize little in a '90s ham shack. One anchor is QST, but even that
has changed: Inside are articles about digital techniques and microwave
projects. Many columns have come and gone, but one the time traveler
would recognize immediately is Hints and Kinks.
This book holds ideas from many hams-good ideas for any shack. Enjoy
them, but don't stop there; come up with something better. let's see your
idea in the next edition.
Newington, CT
May 1992
Preface==========
This book is a compilation of material that originally appeared in the OST
Hints and Kinks column from January 1987 through December 1991. Authors'
addresses have been left as published in OST. Some of the addresses may
have changed since publication. If you wish to write to an author, check the
latest Radio Amateur Gal/book for a current address.
All suppliers mentioned in this book appear in a Suppliers List at the back.
The addresses in the Suppliers List were verified at the time of publlcation.
Contents=========
Units of Measure and Equivalents
Schematic Symbols
1 Equipment Tips and Modifications
1-1 AEA
Ameritron
Collins
Drake
1-4 Heath
1-12 ICOM
1-19 Kenwood
1-25 MFJ
Radio Shack
Ten-Tee
1-29 Yaesu
1-32 Home-Built
2 BaUerles and Generators
3 Mobile Stations
4 Portable Stations
S Construction
5-1 Design Hints
5-10 Tools and Techniques
5-18 Parts
e Test Gear
7 Antenna Systems
7-1 Feed Lines
7-11 Supports and Construction Techniques
7-20 Rotatable Antennas
7-24 Fixed Antennas
7-29 Vertical Antennas
e Operating Techniques
9 Around the Shack
9-1 Voice and Other Modes
9-12 CW
9-18 Packet
10 Electromagnetic Interference
(RFI/EMI)
Abbreviations List
Suppliers List
Index
Units of Measure and
Equivalents=======
MUltiply -
Metric Unit = Conversion Factor x U.S. Customary Unit
.. Divide
Metric Unit + Conversion Factor = U.S. Customary Unit
Conversion Conversion
Metric Unit = Factor x U.S. Unit Metric Unit = Factor x U.S. Unit
(Length) (Volume)
mm 25.4 Inch mm 3 16387.064 in3
cm 2.54 Inch cm 3 16.387 in3
cm 30.48 foot m3 0.028316 ft3
m 0.3048 foot m3 0.764555 yd 3
m 0.9144 yard ml 16.387 In3
km 1.609 mile ml 29.57 II 02
km 1.852 nautical mile ml 473 pint
(Area) ml 946.333 quart
mm 2 645.16 Inch 2 I 28.32 ft3
cm 2 6.4518 In2 I 0.9483 quart
cm 2 929.03 ft2 I 3.785 gallon
m2 0.0929 ft2 I 1.101 dry quart
cm 2 8361.3 yd 2 I 8.809 peck
m2 0.83613 yd 2 I 35.238 bushel
m2 4047 acre
km 2 2.59 (Mass) (Troy Weight)
mi2
(Mass)
g 31.103 02 t
(Avoirdupois Weight) g 373.248 Ib t
grams 0.0648 grains
g 28.349 02 (Mass) (Apothecaries' Weight)
g 453.59 Ib g 3.387 dr ap
kg 0.45359 Ib g 31.103 02 ap
tonne 0.907 short ton g 373.248 Ib ap
tonne 1.016 long ton
U.s. Customary - Metric Conversion Factors
International System of Units (SI) - Metric Units U. S. Customary Units
Prefix Symbol Multiplication Factor Linear Units
exa E 1018 = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000
psta P 1015 = 1,000,000,000,000,000 12 inches (in) = 1 foot (ft)
tera T 10' 2 = 1,000,000,000,000 36 inches = 3 feet = 1 yard (yd)
giga G 109 = 1,000,000,000 1 rod = 5'/2 yards = 16'/2 feet
mega M 106 1,000,000 1 statute mile = 1760 yards = 5280 feet
kilo k 103 1,000 1 nautical mile = 6076.11549 feet
hecto h 102 = 100
deca da 101 = 10 Area
(unit) 100 = 1 1 ft2 = 144 in 2
deci d 10.1 = 0.1 1 yd2 = 9 f(2 = 1296 in2
centi c 10.2 = 0.01 1 rod2 = 30Y. yd2
milli m 10-3 = 0.001 1 acre = 4840 yd 2 = 43,560 ft2
micro I' 10-6 = 0.000001 1 acre = 160 rod2
nano n 10.9 = 0.000000001 1 mile2 = 640 acres
pica p 10.12 = 0.000000000001
femto f 10.15 = 0.000000000000001 Volume
atto a 10.18 = 0.000000000000000001 1 ft' = 1728 in'
1 yd' = 27 ft'
Linear
1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (em) = 1000 millimeters (mm) Liquid Volume Measure
1 fluid ounce (fl 02) = 8 fluidrams = 1.804 in'
Area 1 pint (pt) = 16 fl oz
1 m2 = 1 x 10' cm 2 = 1 x 106 mm2 1 quart (qt) = 2 pt = 32 fl oz = 57'4 in'
1 gallon (gal) = 4 qt = 231 in'
Volume 1 barrel = 31 1/2 gal
1 m' = 1 x 10. em' = 1 x 10. mm'
1 liter (I) = 1000 em' = 1 x 10. mm' Dry Volume Measure
1 quart (qt) = 2 pints (pt) = 67.2 in'
Mass lpeck=8qt
1 kilogram (kg) = 1000 grams (g)
(Approximately the mass of 1 liter of water) 1 bushel = 4 pecks = 2150.42 in'
1 metric ton (or tonne) = 1000 kg Avoirdupois Weight
1 dram (dr) = 27.343 grains (gr) or (gr a)
1 ounce (oz) = 437.5 gr
1 pound (Ib) = 16 oz = 7000 gr
1 short ton = 2000 Ib, 1 long ton = 2240 Ib
Troy Weight
1 grain troy (gr t) = 1 grain avoirdupois
1 pennyweight (dwt) or (pwt) = 24 gr t
1 ounce troy (oz t) = 480 grains
1 Ib t = 12 oz t = 5760 grains
Apothecaries' Weight
1 grain apothecaries' (gr ap) = 1 gr t = 1 gr a
1 dram ap (dr ap) = 60 gr
1 oz ap = 1 oz t = 8 dr ap = 480 gr
1 Ib ap = 1 Ib t = 12 oz ap = 5760 gr
Schel118.tic SyDlbols
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CHAPTER 1
EquipDlent Tips and
Modifications
SIMPLER CW/RTTY MODE keeping the PK-232's PTT output high
CHANGES WITH THE AEA PK-232 BANO. CATHODE
regardless of whether the PK-232 is in CW
o After I'd sorted out various options for U37 U39 U38 transmit or CW receive. This allows the
equipment control and interconnection, 7406 741..504 7406 IC-75IA's semi-break-in function to handle
CW and RTTY operation with my Ad- CW TR switching functions. When the
.E1-Btl'N
vanced Electronics Applications PK-232 PK-232 is in the RTTY mode, the CWN
multimode communications processor and line is high and the '232 works as if the
IC-75IA transceiver went well-except for diode isn't there. Note: I haven't yet tried
lCOk.f"l.. HW-9
~ MONITOR T/R Boord
. t . 1 LEVEL K 1
<. }------'\Nv----+--=--':'-'----",
TO \--
HR-1680 ....r
MUTING
MAX M'N j (B)
GND
JAC K L----------0--
WIDE/OUT i--~E3~,
k ~ 1000
-..:~-"...e=---/
(e)
environment, however, I find it deficient
in selectivity. The HW-9 achieves its IF
IARROW
filtering with a four-pole crystal filter that
has a - 6-dB bandwidth in excess of 2 kHz,
and skirts that are 4 to 6 kHz wide at - 40 Fig 7-Thomas Niedermeyer added a narrow CW filter/amplifier (A) to his HW-9
to - 60 dB. This is fine for tuning around transceiver and included this circuit in the HW-9's Wide/Narrow bandwidth SWitching. B
the band, or listening to SSB, but inade- shows the stock HW-9's Wide/Narrow bandwidth switching; C shows the modified circuit.
quate for narrow-band CW work. The FL1 is a FoxfTango 2801.1; see Note 4, This modification requires the HW-9's original
HW-9's audio filter, selected in the Narrow C313, a O.001-jtF disc, be removed as described in the text. Note that this capacitor is
replaced by "New C313" at C. 01 is a 1N4000-series diode.
mode, works well for cutting out adjacent
1-4 Chapter 1
signals that are relatively weak-but if they unnecessary because they're grounded at ceiver has a frequency-stability problem.
are strong enough to activate the AGC (the their non-SW3 ends. Just cut off their 'This bothered me because I like to go on
take-off point for which is ahead of the SW3-end braids about !.-1 inch away from the air at the spur of the moment: I don't
audio filter), the desired signal often their center conductors.) always have time to let the transceiver
becomes unreadable. This deficiencycan be Connect one relay-solenoid (KIA) termi- warm up for an hour!
readily overcome by adding a narrow IF nal to 12 V de at the C355 side of R372, I looked into the problem and realized
crystal filter. Fortunately, Heath designed and connect the remaining KIA terminal that the can holding the parts that control
the HW-9 with an 8.8307-MHz IF, which to the center contact of SW3. Install a the HW-99's frequency is awfully close to
exactly matches the IF center for CW IN4000-series diode across the solenoid ter- the pilot lamp-and that lamp gets quite
reception in some Kenwood transceivers- minals, cathode to .the solenoid's 12-V- hot. Removing the pilot lamp solved the
and narrow CW filters are available for this supply end. Connect the appropriate SW3 drift problem. I thought I'd share this hint
frequency. contact to the adjacent ground lug. SW3 with you in case other readers who've
I purchased a steep-skirted 250-Hz filter, now switchesthe relay between Narrow and encountered this HW-99 stability problem
the Fox/Tango 2801.1.' and installed it in Wide according to the front-panel legend. might like to try a simple solution.-Nancy
my HW-9. It works well, but because it's Check your work, fire up the rig and Kou, KB8FA Y, PO Box 47, Hadley, MI
too narrow for band scanning, I decided adjust RI (GAIN) so that in-band signals 48440-0047
to use it only in the HW -9's Narrow mode, show the same S-meter reading through
either filter. Happy QRPing!-Thomos ELIMINATING DIAL-DRIVE
keeping the rig's originaI2-kHz- wide filter CLUTCH SLIPPAGE IN THE HW-IOI
in Wide. The HW -9's narrow audio filter, Niedermeyer, NK6E, PO Box 301, Fairfield,
although not needed when the F/T 2801.1 1A 52556 o After I became the third owner of a
is in line, does a fine job reducing wideband AN AGC-THRESHOLD CONTROL Heathkit HW-101 transceiver, I noticed
noise generated by the HW-9's IF that its VFO occasionally slipped out of
FOR THE HEATH HW-9
amplifier, so I keep it active in the Narrow calibration at the ends of its range. I dis-
TRANSCEIVER
covered the cause after removing the VFO
mode. o Strong signals near or in the Heathkit assembly from the rig to inspect the dial-
Because of the F/T 2801.1's relatively HW -9's IF passband can cause weaker drive clutch: After years of pressure, the
high insertion loss, however, I found that signals in the passband to be distorted or plastic clutch (Heath part no. 266-200)had
some amplification is necessaryto maintain "pumped" by AGC effects in the trans- warped. I reversed the clutch disk so that
proper gain and S-meter readings. Fig 7A ceiver's high-gain IF-amplifier stages. As the inside surface of the disk faces outward,
shows the circuit I devised to provide this. designed, these stages run at full gain, and making the warpage work in my favor.
A junction FET ahead of the filter provides there is no panel control for adjusting their Now, the dial drive works well. The clutch
a high input impedance and some gain, and gain. Here's an easy modification that allows just enough slippage for manual
a similar stage at the filter output supplies solves this problem. calibration of the VFO dial scale.- Vernon
additional, and adjustable, gain. This cir- During alignment of the HW -9, R329 D. Range, Jr"KA9NBH, Rochelle, Illinois
cuit, along with the filter, can be built on (AGe SET), a 5OO-kll circuit-board trimmer
a small piece of perfboard (or a circuit pot, is set and not adjusted again. Through
board) and is mounted on the side of the IMPROVING RIT AND SPLIT-
experimentation, I discovered that R329 FREQUENCY OPERATION IN THE
chassis below the U302 area of the HW-9's allows the transceiver's IF gain to be HEATH HW-5400 TRANSCEIVER
T/R board. I made the modification reduced enough to minimize AGe pumping.
without removing either of the HW-9's two I replaced R329 with a chassis-mounted
o I found CW operation in the
circuit boards. HW-5400's "split-frequency" mode
control to allow routine adjustment of the cumbersome because of a delay between
The input lead of the filter board con- HW-9's IF-amplifier gain.
nects across R307 (on the HW-9's T/R key closure and RF output. A call to
Remove the original R329 from the PC Heath" confirmed that this delay is
board) using small-diameter coax. Expose board and discard it. Mount R329's shaft-
a circuit point suitable for switching inherent in the HW -5400 because time is
driven replacement-I used a 500-kO linear required to reset the frequencies of various
between the outputs of the new and origi- control from Radio Shack-on the HW-9
nal filters by removing C313 (a ceramic oscillators-in particular, the microproces-
chassis. (There is ample room on the chassis sor clock-when changing from receive to
disc) by carefully crushing C313 with for the control. I elected not to place the transmit. Wanting to reduce the delay, I
needle-nose pliers and removing all of its control on the HW-9's front panel, instead wondered if the oscillator-reset time could
remains except for its leads. Mount a small installing it on the transceiver's side (left, be shortened. (I also wanted to be able to
l2-V-dc, DPDT relay (KI in Fig 7C) side- viewed from the front.]) Connect the new operate at splits wider than those possible
ways atop of FL301 using double-stick control to the R329 circuit-board holes via with the '54oo's ±350-Hz RIT [receiver
foam tape, so that its pins face U30l, the a piece of RG-174 coax. incremental tuning] range; increasing the
second IF amplifier. Use the closest-to-the- The only readjustment necessary after RIT range by adding diode D70IB per a
circuit-board set of contacts (KIC, Fig 7C), this modification is a slight touch-up of later revision of the '5400's assembly
connected via coax and a O.OOI-#tF disc, to R333 (METER ZERO). Now, your HW-9 can manual did not increase the range enough
switch U301's input (pin 4, accessibleat the perform better in the presenceof strong sig- for my purposes.)
C313 lead closest to C322) between the out- nals: Using the panel-mounted R329, Finally, I hit upon a solution: Use two
put of the original filter (the remaining simply reduce the IF-amplifier gain to the microprocessor clock oscillators-one for
C313 lead) and the output of the new point at which AGC pumping disappears. receive and the other for transmit-and
filter/amplifier board. Use small-diameter Adjust R329 for full receiver gain as neces- switch between them instead of tuning the
coax for all RF T/R-board-to-KI con- sary.-Jim Douglas, NI2F, 9 Linda Ln, '5400's crystal-controlled clock between
nections. Clark, NJ 07066 transmit and receive frequencies. The
Next, disconnect the shielded wires from oscillator circuit I use (Fig 8) was designed
CURING THERMAL DRIFT IN THE
the WIDE/NARROW switch (SW3) and con- by Lyle Audiss, K6PlE, and has given
HEATHKIT HW-99 TRANSCEIVER
nect the inner leads to the second set of the good results. This LC oscillator operates
relay contacts so that the Narrow mode is o I am a new ham, and my station in- at the same nominal frequency as
active along with the narrow CW filter. cludes an HW-99 transceiver. As noted in the HW-5400's crystal-controlled clock
(Rerouting of the shielded-wire braids is QSTs review of the HW-99,5 this trans- (8.04 MHz) and can be switched in to serve
as the clock on receive. Because the LC
"The FoxlTango 2801.1 fitter is identical to lnter- 5C. and E. Holsopple, "Heath HW·99 Novice CW oscillator can be tuned over a wider range
national Radio's filter no. 97. Both are available Transceiver," Product Review, QST, Mar 1986,
from International Radio and Computers Inc. pp 43-45 than the crystal oscillator, the LC oscillator
Equipment Tips and Modifications 1-5
allows a much wider RIT swing than that
possible with the clock. (The clock [Q701 P914 - 3
RX TX
and its associated 8.04-MHz crystal] is re- (GROUND) vox P902 P903
tained as the microprocessor clock on Z+12V
transmit.) I use the HW-5400's vOX/PIT
switch, SW4, to switch between normal and RI
BROWN 22kA
wide RIT (see Fig 9); I don't operate VOX,
and using SW4 avoids the necessity of
adding another switch to the rig's front
panel. PIT operation of the HW-54OO is
unaffected by this modification. 6 60 03
3
The wide-RIT oscillator circuit is built
,
on a double-sided PC board about 1 x 1Y2
inches in size. Ll is wound on a junkbox
slug-tuned form approximately 1/4 inch
long and 1/8 inch in diameter. The winding
consists of 17 turns of no. 28 enameled
'¥'
,
SW'
TUNE
, ,•
SW'
NOR/WIDE
SW3
AGC
wire; place the tap at 5 turns from the
ground end of the coil.
Disconnect the VOX lead (a brown wire) ,----1----1----·----
from terminal 5 of SW4, tape the end of L701
the wire, and fold the wire out of the way. +'V
Disconnect terminals 3 and 6 of SW4 from AX.
FIG 8
ground (the wire that goes to pin 3 of R702 R704
P913). Install a 22-klJ, i4-W resistor in
Q70t
series with the TX line to SW4, pin 3. (This
resistor drops the TX voltage [approxi-
mately 12] to the 5 V necessary for biasing
Q701.)
Mount the wide-RIT oscillator board on
CONTROLLER
a standoff at the corner of the Controller BOARO
board (directlyabove the 8.04-MHzcrystal).
Connect the collector of Q5 (the wide-RIT
oscillator's output transistor) to the collec-
tor of Q701 (on the '54OO's Controller Fig 9-The Audlss wide-RIT circuit uses
the HW-5400's vox push button to
board) by means of a short piece of RG-174 switch between normal and wide RIT.
coax. Connect point A of Fig 8 to pin A Broken connects are indicated by X.
on the Controller board. See text and Fig 8.
Q5 COLL.ECTOR
Assuming that you've successfully built FIG a
and instailed the wide-RIT oscillator board,
and you've completed the necessary wiring
modifications around SW4, the only step
left is the adjustment of Ll. With the
HW-5400 on and receiving, switch SW4 to above and below the nominal transmit fre- lettering on the HW-5400's front panel.
WIDE RIT and adjust LI so that the RIT quency. That's it! The problem I haven't Any ideas?-Gary Audiss, N6SI, 6540
control swings the receiver tuning equally solved is that of labeling SW4 to match the Birch Dr, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
osc
03 33 330 +12 V
MPFl02
01
2N2222 22 9V
O,4W
lN914 100 ~
100
TO PIN A, o-......~J\j.~- ..... .6 k
~
O.
CONTROLLER
CIRCUIT
BOARD
1°'001 0'
2N2222
LI
(SEE TEXT) 22
2N3904
"':>o.---E=t===::"'; COLLECTOR,
~
Q701
"'--_LJ FIG 9
TUNING DIODES
AMPLIFIERS
Fig 8-:-This oscillator allows Gary Audiss to use his Heathki~ HW·5400 transceiver at splits much greater than possible with the rig's
RIT Circuitry. Decimal-value capacitors are disc ceramic (16 V or greater); the 22- and 236-pF capacitors are NPO or COG discs.
(Alt~ough Gary specifies a 236-pF ~~pacitor at C1, you can use several standard-value capacitors in parallel to approximate that value.)
aeeietcrs are Y4-W, carbon-ccmpoattlon or -film units. See text and Fig 9.
1·6 Chapter 1
HW-5400 SPEEDY TUNE its shaft encoder .-Dexter King. AB4DP.
o After working a major SSB/CW contest 6438 Pettus Rd, Antioch, TN 37013
with my Heath HW -5400 transceiver, I BATIERY BACKUP FOR THE
realized that I need a faster and easier HW-5400 TRANSCEIVER
method of changing frequency than that
allowed by the stock '5400. The circuit
o The Heath~ HW -5400 loses its memory
when power fails. To solve this problem,
shown in Fig 10 is my solution to this
problem. Dubbed the Speedy Tune, it pro- connect three AA NiCd cells in series be-
tween pin 4 of U7l0 and ground, + termi-
vides rapid up/down frequency slewing and
nals toward pin 4 of U71O, and - terminals
is controllable by a momentary, DPDT,
toward ground. (Easy access to pin 4 can
center-off toggle switch. The Speedy Tune
be had at R744; the NiCd cells can be
is easy to build and does not affect the
mounted on the U714-U715 heat sink.)
'54oo's manual tuning.
When the rig is on, the battery trickle Sell-Adhesive Metal Tape
The Speedy Tune circuit is based on a
charges through pin 4 of U71O; when the
555 timer, VI. The 555 is connected as an Fig 11-John DeCicco protects his ItMatic
rig is off, the battery supplies 3.6 V for keyer from static-electricity damage with a
astable multivibrator that free runs at eight
. memory back-up. Install a diode-a IN914 grounded length of self-adheslve steel
times the tuning rate (in steps per second)
is suitable-between pin 4 of U710 (diode tape. The rubber pad supports the tape
desired. The multivibrator frequency is and keeps the keyer from sliding on the
cathode to pin 4) and the HW -5400's 5-V
adjustable by means of RATE control RI. table. Approaching John's antistatic
memory-back-up line to keep the batteries
U2 delivers two pulse trains 180 0 out of measures from a commercial angle,
from discharging through the memory-
phase which, when divided by binary computer stores carry "groundable"
back-up power supply.-AI Smardon, resistive strips and mats intended to
counters U3 and U4, produce two pulse
VE30X. RR I. Carrying Place. ON KOK protect computers and keyboards from
trains 90' out of phase (in quadrature)-
/LO. Canada ESD; such products would also protect the
just as does the optical shaft-rotation ItMatic. Hints and Kinks suggests installing
encoder associated with the HW-S400's AVOIDING STATIC DAMAGE TO THE a 1-megohm, t-watt resistor (or a series-
tuning knob. These signals are routed to HEATH i<MATlC MEMORY KEYER parallel resistor combination of equivalent
the <;1>1 and <;1>2 inputs of the HW-5400's o Heath suggests that users of the jtMatic resistance and power rating) between the
controller board by means of UP/DOWN Memory Keyer ground themselves to metal strip and ground to limit current in
the strip ground to an operator-safe level.
switch SI. protect the jtMatic's components from
My version of the Speedy Tune is built electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD danger
on a small piece of perfboard and mounted is especially high on winter days when the AMPLIFIER TR RELAY SWITCHING
near the HW-5400's Controller board. relative humidity in heated buildings is low. INVERSION
(Power for the Speedy Tune is obtained Fig 11 shows my solution to this problem: o Because I burned out a relay contact in
from P703 on the '5400's Controller board: a grounded metal strip that I touch each my Drake TR-5 transceiver by switching the
Pin I supplies 5 V dc and pin 3 is common.) time my hand goes to the ~Matic paddles. antenna relay in my Heath" SB-200
81 can be mounted on the '54oo's front The strip consists of self-adhesive, stainless- amplifier, James Hebert's January 1988
panel-to the lower right or left of the steel tape (available in hobby or "home article on a solid-state antenna-relay switch
tuning knob-with room to spare. The center" stores). The rubber pad also caught my attention. 6 I wanted to use
Speedy Tune circuit may also be usable provides an antislip base for the keyer.
with any other optically-encoded tuning -John DeCicco, KB2ARU, 1816 Ave S. 6J. Hebert, "Using the S8·220 Amplifier with
system that accepts TTL-level inputs from Brooklyn, NY l/229 Solid State Transceivers," page 1·9,
+ov U3
P7D3, 7493
I,
J~:'
PIN 1 * COUNTER
UPI DOWN
vee
..It e ,p 51A
P703, " 0--0---0 *
PIN 3
, OFF 11l11NPUT
~N
IOk{t
4"
'" "00 ,3 i o
lr:r:
tCLR t PR "CO
to e
INPUT B
ROW RO(ZI
'"' ~
AI
, " 'I
RAe
'MIt
>------' TRIG
'0'
a (CLK
'"'7
,,6 1 r~
I----'- ,"' I,
O'Ol}lF
'"' rh , "CO , or
rL rf, INPUT B
"
S16
.
U2
7474
OFF 0--0---0 JZI2 INPUT *
' 1,000 "
'55
DUAL 0
FLIP-FLOP DOWN
'" ~
M' \,000,000 TIMER
ALL UNUSED PINS: RO(l) RO(Z) U.
:~O CONNECTiON 7493
2
*0 N HW-5400 CONTROLLER BOARD
1 I' COUNTER
r t-r
Fig 10-Dexter King's Speedy Tune circuit adds up/down frequency slewing to the Heath HW·5400 transceiver. R1 allows adjustment of
the slewing rate.
1·8 Chapter 1
voltage for this part. remember that the +12~V
/~-
- -----::: ANT
RELAY
AMP includes: (I) installation of Q-damping
resistors (RIA and R2A in Fig 16A) in the
/
PHONO tube cathodes (necessary because the
CABL E
•
(CONTR OLi
?=~NECTOR) CABLE 2
coaxial cable between the SB-220's band
switch and the 3-500Z cathodes happens to
resonate near the S8-220's parasitic-
oscillation frequency!); (2) installation of
S
low-Q parasitic suppressors in the 3-5002
STANDBY
anodes; (3) installation of a 10-0, 7- to
I- ALUMINUM 10-W. wirewound resistor in series with the
BOX
anode-supply lead (R5A in Fig 16B) to
size of a nickel), you'll see, down and to above 34,000. The only way to find out if
the left, the CPU reset switch. (Note: your IC-02AT is so equipped is to try it.
Although this reset procedure isn't (The circuitry that allows this could not be
described in the IC-02AT user's manual, installed in other '02ATs for various
the illustration on p 42 of the manual shows reasons.) An early IC-02AT can be KEY
the location of the reset switch.) equipped with the external reset feature
5) Attach a 12-V de power source to the (and other updated functions) by replacing
12-V input port at the top ofthe '02AT and its CPU with the later version, but ICOM Fig 19-W6ERS overcame the effects of
turn the transceiver on. Using a noncon- will not do this modification. Another key-contact-resistance-related keying errors
ductive wand, press the reset switch. note: The logic unit for radios with serials by installing a keying relay (K1) between
6) Turn off the IC-D2AT, disconnect the above 34,000 is laid out a bit differently his semiautomatic key and and ICOM
than that of lower-number units; in radios IC~730 transceiver. A Radio Shack no.
12-V de power source and reassemble the 275-233 12-V reed relay is suitable. Vern
transceiver. Now, the rig's CPU is reset to with serial numbers over 34,000, CPU lock- didn't mention adding D1 (to clamp the
144.00 MHz, its display will function nor- up from static discharge is greatly reduced transient that occurs when the key opens
mally, and its memories must be compared to earlier units. Enjoy!-Fred and K1's magnetic field collapses), but
reprogrammed.-Joseph J. Wavra, Jr, Palmer, WA5WZD, ICOM America, Inc, Hints and Kinks recommends it.
1000 2
+6 V
Element
+ 10 fLF 0.01 Ji-F
Case 25 V 25 V
r-- MPF'102
I 3 3 G
0-104 + Mike Input
Element \}-~'1
1 }-I-F or greater 7
Mike Ground
100 k 0 25 V
I 0.01 Ji-F
-<
Case ,.~ Break 6800 25 V
Ground This
ConnedionL_ _.... .....---<.....- -_ _-4..... >- .....J 6
PTT Ground
r PTT
-.l-
o------------..:..J
5
PTT
a-Pin
Mike Connector
Fig 20-David Fentem connected his high-impedance 0·104 mike to an IC-735 and 1G-761 transceivers via this circuit, a JFET source
follower that acts as an impedance transformer. The resistors are Y4·W, carbon-film units; the components shown within the shaded
dashed box are contained on a circuit board mounted in the mike base. With appropriate mike-plug connections, this circuit is applicable
to other transceivers.
1-14 Chapter 1
yellow wire and circuit common, and ex-
ICOM UT-30 Tone Encoder Unit
perimenting with 51-S6 per the table on the
UT-30 instruction sheet.)
GROUND (Black)
Install the board in the radio as described
GG VCC (Red) in the owner's manual and reinstallthe radio's
GG 00
-
GG
,~~
AUDIO ( Vellow)
R=Resistor
bottom COver. Mount the FREQUENCY switch
unit on the bottom edge of the radio's front
panel. This modification does not otherwise
7 6 5 4 3 2 affect the liT-30's operation.-G. Miles
IC1 ( Mann. KAIRRW: Billerica, Massachusetts
[J S B 9 10 11 12 13 14
I\..
REMOTE UP/DOWN FREQUENCY
CONTROL FOR THE ICOM IC-735
TRANSCEIVER
Ribbon
o The IC-735's remote up/down frequen-
cy slewing capability, normally controlled
Cable
by UP and DOWN buttons on a mike used
with the rig, isn't available during CW
operating unless the mike is left plugged in.
5~ ~-:l
After consulting the schematic of the
5,r 52 sa , mike's UP and DOWN circuitry (see page 16
of the lC-735 operating manual), I built the
ON ON ON ON ON ON remote UP/OOWN control box shown in
-
~ g~ g~ ~
Additional Fig 22. It's more useful than the mike's
Sections UP/DOWN controls for frequency slewing
'~ Unused
during CW operation.-Art Krugaluk,
N/BNG, 239 Midd/esex Ave, Wilmington,
MA 0/887
i "j
3l4 "0 OdB "0
J2
IAI
SQlL
JI o~---~o Ss
240.n.
; -"'OA J
~
CUT OFF 82n aa n
AND
DISCARD
poe I poe a
(A)
IBI
x Fig 25-Earle GrandIson took advantage of
SOLL 1 SOll a
--j "'0" I the 1G-745's inclusion of RECEIVER INPUT and
RECEIVE ANTENNA OUTPUT jacks to add this
switchable 20-dB RF attenuator. The circuit
...'1G===~
SH.'NK~i
HEAT-
is built In a small aluminum box; phono-
plug-equipped coaxial cable. connect the
TUelNG r- 7/16 " -J, box to the 1C-745, The resistors are
carbon-film or -composition units. J1 and
poe 1 sou, a
J2, phono Jacks, are labeled, I/O because
(B)
the attenuator is bilatera/-elther jack can
ICI
SOLLIG POC 2 serve as input or output.
1-18 Chapter 1
filter to remain in the signal path. Orient
the radio so its front panel faces you and
take off its top. Locate the single black wire
that is pushed onto terminal Jl7 on the
main board. (117 is approximately Y4 inch
--\
,,
to the left of the left rear corner of FL-SO,
the IC-75IA's 9-MHz SSB filter.) Pull this
wire off the terminal and tape it aside so
Zone 1 Zone 2
,,
,
,,
it can't short to anything. That's all there
is to it!
filter 1 Possband - - 1 - - - -..
Now, the IC-75IA's IF SHIFT control F"lIter 2 Passband
,,
functions as a variable-bandwidth tuning
control, and since you lose no receiver per-
formance when it is active, you can leave
the IFSHIFT control (now an IF shiftlVBT
control) at its center detent all the time.
You needn't use the IF SHIFT OFF position
at all.-John Pelham, WIJA, 1185 Bend
Creek Trail, Suwanee, GA 30174 \
WJIZ: Figs 8 and 9, and their supporting text, \
in G. Collins and D. Newkirk, "Transceiver
Features That Help You Beat Interference,"
.,
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0
OST, Mar1991, pp 16-21,can help explainwhy 8N :il 0 0 0 0
0
"'
" ""'
0
turning on the 1C-751A's IFshift degrades the I r I "'+ 0
N
+
transceiver's ultimate attenuation and dynamic Distance from IF" Center (Hz)
range. Fig 9 in that article shows a method of
implementingVBT by placing a second IFfilter
at the output of a simple IF-shift circuit (Fig 8 Fig 26-Variable-bandwidth tuning, when implemented in current transceivers by electronically
in the article cited). Reverse this process-that mov~ng the passband of one filter relative to the stationary passband of another filter, can alter a
is, bypass the filter just added to achieve receiver's blowby and dynamic-range characteristics even though cascaded IF filters are present.
VBT-and the system reverts to IF shift. Offsetting the filters' passbands creates two zones (Zone 1 and Zone 2) in which only one
Placing a second filter at the input of the IF- filter provides most of the system's ultimate attenuation. Strong signals that fall within Zone 2
shift circuit also results in VBT-and this is, in -the zone in which the Filter 2's stopband provides the only defense against nearby signals
effect, howICOM does it(inat least the 1C-751A, -may significantly degrade the receiver's dynamic range. (The size and shape of"the zones
'761 and '765). Convertingsuch a VBT system and the numeric values for filter bandwidths, net bandwidth and distance from IF center, show~
to IF shift requires that the first filter in the chain here are for illustration only. The zone shapes and filterlnet bandwidths you encounter depend
be bypassed. The potential snag in this arrange- on the VBT-control setting, and the design and construction of your transceiver and its IF filters.
ment is that bypassing the first filter subjects The net passband's top is lower than that of both filter curves because filter insertion losses add
the circuitry between the first filter's output and in a cascaded-filter system.)
the second filter's input to signals otherwise
attenuated by the first filter's stopband. In
1C-751As (as evidenced by John Pelham's as closely as possible. Offsetting the filters' does not include the variable-bandwidth-
observation) and IC-l6SS (as conclusively passbands to create a narrower net passband tuning (VBT) feature present in the
proven in the ARRL Lab, and enumerated in forces one filter to provide all or most of the IC-761. 12 You can change the '765's IF
Table 2 of December 1990 osr« iC·765 system's higher-frequency skirt selectivity· the shift to VBT by adding two diodes and an
Product Review), enabling IF shift by bypass- other filter provides all or most of the syst~m's
lower-frequency skirt selectivity. In a VaT RF choke, or add VBT and gain the ability
ing the first of two VaT-system filters may sig- to select between IF shift and VBT by
nificantly compromise the system's close-in system based On two good-ta-excellent filters,
this effect is not serious. If one of the system's adding two diodes, an RF choke and a sub-
dynamic range. (The system's ultimate at-
tenuation SUffers whichever filter you bypass.) filters has significantly poorer skirt selectivity miniature switch (see Fig 27). Either way,
John Pelham's statement that VBT does not than the other, however, one side of the no holes need be drilled in the IC-765, no
compromise receiver performance is neces- narrower-than-maximum net passband will soldering need be done on any of the '765's
sarily true only when the VaT control is set for exhibit noticeably poorer skirt selectivity than circuit boards, and the modification is
the maximum bandwidth afforded by the filters the other. (In Fig 26, both filter curves, and entirely reversible.'! (Note, however, that
involved. See this column's Fig 26. Adjusting therefore both sides of the net passband, are
this modification may void your IC-765's
such a VBT system for narrower-than- essentially identical, but such is usually not the
case in practlce.) warranty.) Here's how to do it; please read
maximum net bandwidth may cause at least and familiarize yourself with all of these
three effects: Although VBT is a valuable transceiver
feature, it doesn't provide something for steps before proceeding:
1. Offsetting the passbands creates two
zones (Zone 1 and Zone 2 in Fig 26) in which nothing. Cascaded filters work best when their 1. Disconnect all external leads to the
only one filter's stopband provides the selectivity characteristics match closely and IC-765 including antenna, power and so on.
system's ultimate attenuation. Depending on their passbands are closely superimposed. Off- 2. Remove the top and bottom covers as
the radio's design, construction and filters, setting cascaded-filter passbands for VST described on page 41 of the lC-765 Instruc-
compromises that performance to some-
blowby from signals within these zones may
hopefully, a small-degree in exchange for
tion Manual.
range from inaudible to objectionable. o
2. Strong signals falling in one of these two variable bandwidth. In today's transceivers, the
zones-the zone in which the second filter's selectivity flexibility gained is generally well 12()n ICOMequipment, variable-bandwidth tunif19
stopband provides the only defense against worth that small compromise. is referred to as passband tuning or PBT.-Ed.
nearby signals (Zone 2)-may cause blocking »smce developing this modification, I have
VARIABLE·BANDWIDTH TUNING FOR become aware that others have Implemented
or significantly degrade the receiver's dynamic various versions of the same basic Idea. For
range. THE ICOM IC·765 TRANSCEIVER
example, Gerd Hen/'es, W2ISB, has described
3. In a two-filter VBT system using practical o As mentioned in Product Review for an approach that a lows selection between IF
filters-that is, filters that have a shape factor December 1990,11 The IC-765 transceiver shift and VBT with the IC-765's IF SHIFT button,
greater than 1-offsetting the filter passbands a la the IC-761. Gerd's modification requires
unavoidably degrades the system's skirt soldering and desoldering on the '765's Main
Unit board. For details, write him at 4065
selectivity. This is so because the filter's skirt 11M. Wilson, "The ICOM IC-765 MF/HF Trans- Pawnee Dr, Liverpool, NY 13090. Be sure to
slopes maximally reinforce each other only ceiver," J. Healy, conductor, Product aevrew enclosean SASE. TheARRLand QSTin no way
when both filters' passbands are superimposed OST, Dec 1990, pp 52-55. ' warrant this offer.
1-18 Chapter 1
Kenwood
USING THE KENWOOD BS-8
•
PANORAMIC-DISPLAY MODULE
WITH GENERIC OSCILLOSCOPES P202
D You can use your oscilloscope as a
panoramic display in conjunction with
..;;.
Kenwood transceivers that have 8.83-MHz SWEEP SELECT
intermediate frequencies (IFs) by teaming 3 GND 2
the scope with a Kenwood BS-Span-display
module, generally available at Kenwood
ham-radio-equipment dealers for about
NC
NC
2
MARKER
e Peak for rna..
scope .deflection
3
4
N
Sawtooth Sweep-
SiQnol Input
$110." SW
5 -12 V
Connect the adapter as shown in Fig 28. (SOlder to pins)
The BS-S requires 11 V de (negative 6 +11 V
ground) and 12 V de (positive ground); 7
these voltages may be obtainable from the
••
NARROW WIDE
8
scope if it's solid state. Pick up the trans-
ceiver's S.S3-MHz IF signal at the input end
of the receiver IF stages. (In the Kenwood CENTER ADJ
9
~~~=3--i Scope
te
VertIcal
Input
TS-43OS transceiver, this signal is accessible
(solder to pins)
at jack 6 on the 430's RF board.) Feed the
BS-S's output (labeled 10 ScopeVortl08llnput
in Fig 2S)into the scope's vertical (Y) input.
Finding a tap to obtain the oscilloscope's
sawtooth sweep signal may take a little BS-B
experimentation. This signal .should be
available at the scope's horizontal-output
driver stage, or at the output of the scope's Fig 28-Kurt Hunter and Martin Salabes connect a Kenwood 88-8 pan-display adapter to
sawtooth-oscillator buffer amplifier. a generic oscilloscope as shown here. some Kenwood transceivers include a jack that
Adjust the scope's vertical sensitivity; carries the 8.83-MHz IF signal necessary to drive the 8S-8; see the text for one means of
0.1 V/div is sufficient. Use the slowest obtaining this signal from a TS-430S.
sweep speed that does not produce notice-
able display flicker .-Kurt E. Hunter,
WB3AGC, Box 351 Highland Rd, Orefield,
servations and several suggested solutions. Using the SM-220 with the TS-940S Trans-
PA 18069, and Martin K. Salabes, K3CSV, ceiver
1631 Sweetland St, Nokomis, FL 34275 Using the SM-220 with the TS-830S Trans-
ceiver Used for Band Scope operation with the
Plugging the SM-220 cable into the TS-940S, the SM-220 sometimes displays
15This hint is not for beginners;it requiresdigging
into the innards of an oscilloscope-danger, TS-S30's IF1 IF-output jack causes all ghost signals that are apparently very
high voltage/-and, in some cases, into the received-signal levels to drop by about strong-but which are inaudible in the
circuitry of the transceiverthat drives the B$-8. TS-94OS! (As a result. the many strong
Hints and Kinks recommends that you obtain, 3 dB. This occurs because connecting the
and refer to, servicemanualsand/or schematic '220 increases the load on the TS-S30's shortwave-broadcast signals in the IS-MHz
diagramsof the BS..a, and your transceiverand S.S3-MHz IF amplifier. I solved this range severely compromised the display's
oscilloscope, before putting this hint Into
problem by installing a 510-0 resistor in usefulness at 14 MHz.) Turning on the
practice. The BS·8 schematic appears in TS-940's loo-kHz calibrator generated
documentation for Kenwood's SM-220Station series with the center conductor of the
Monitor.-AK7M coaxial cable between the TS-S30S and the markers every 100 kHz and a ghost signal
SM-220. Install the resistor inside the about 10 kHz lower than each legitimate
NOTES ON BAND-SCOPE TS-830S as follows: Remove the trans- marker. Investigation revealed that each of
OPERATION WITH THE KENWOOD ceiver's top cover. Unsolder the coax lead these ghosts was associated with a strong
SM-220 STATION MONITOR to the center pin of the '8305 rear-panellF1 signal 910 kHz higher than the transceiver
o I enjoy using the SM-220 station jack. Install the resistor between the con- operating frequency. (I verified this with
monitor very much. I have, however, nector pin and the cable center conductor. a signal generator.)
found a few rough edges in its operation Reinstall the TS-S30's top cover. I found The TS-940's IF1 output is heavily
as a panoramic display." Here are my ob- that this change does not detune the IF damped by a 56-0 resistor across the signal
transformer associated with IF1 (L2 on the source connected to the IF1 jack. The
bandwidth of the '94O's 45.05-MHz, first-
TS-S30's IF Unit).
16A panoramic dIsplay (Band Scope in SM-220 IF amplifier is so wide that signals signifi-
terminology) is a cathode-ray-tube (CRT)display cantly far from the IF center are present
of received signals in terms of frequency(on the
X, or horizontal axis, of the display) and at the IF1 jack. (A filter later in the
amplitude (on the Y, or vertical axis, of the transceiverare usually usablefor little morethan TS-940's signal path removes these so they
display). Panoramic displays intended for on- checking band activity and noting the relative
amplitude of signals on a small segment of an do not affect reception of desired signals
the-air use-such as the SM-220 in its Band
Scope mode-are generally arranged so that amateur band. Laboratory-quality panoramic with the TS-940S. They appear in the
the receiver's operating frequency(the frequen- displays called spectrum analyzers are usually TS-940's IF1 output, however, and cause
cy shown on the receiver's dIgital display) calibrated accurately enough to measure
relative and absolute amplitude and frequency image responses [910kHz removed from
appears at the exact center of the X axis, with
signals below and above the operating characteristics of displayed signals over a wide the desired signal] when heterodyned to
frequency appearing to the left and right of the range of frequency spans. Chapter 25 of The 455 kHz [2 X 455 = 910] in the SM-220.)
operating frequency, respectively. General- 1990 ARRL Handbook, Test Equipment and
Measurements, covers spectrum analyzers in The heavy loading on the IF1 line in the
purpose panoramic displays capable of being
hooked to an Amateur Radio receiver or detail.-AK7M '940 severely damps the input tuned circuit
...
Board
peak a calibrator marker near the display's Ed. . ple: I replaced the WA9EZY-modification
center frequency. Use a plastic or wooden relay with a reed relay.
tuning tool. (Because the slot in T201 's core If you cannot find a 3PDT reed relay (I
is tiny. you'll probably need to shape the couldn't), don't despair. You can use three
tuning tool to a small, chisel point about SPDT, or one DPDT and one SPDT, or
1/16 inch wide.) With the capacitor in two DPDT, relays. If you don't have these
place, T201's peak is considerably sharper in your junk box, get them from Digi-
t.han in an unmodified SM-220, but is suf- Key,~ Radio Shack or other suppliers. The
ficiently wide to allow proper display in the combined coil resistance of the added relays
SM-220's ± lOO-kHz mode. Fig 29-Eldad Senary added Band Scope should be 200 II or more (I2-V, SPDT reed
Modified in this way, my SM-220 dis- display shift to his SM~220 Station Monitor relays usually have coil resistances- around
by installing a 1-kO, 1j4~W resistor on the
plays ghosts of only the very strongest SM-220's main PC board as shown here. I kll; 12-V, DPDT reed relays usually have
I5-MHz stations. Ghosts that occurred on See text. coil resistances around 500 0).
other bands, and those produced by the Twelve-volt reed relays generally pull in
TS-940's lOO-kHzcalibrator, are unnotice- at about 8 V and up, so you can connect
able or unobjectionable in the presence of two 12-V, or three 6-V, relays in series and
normal band noise. RI26 (220 II) and VRlO3 (500 II, the V.POS supply their solenoids from the unfiltered
Some further comments: Although a 24~ control). Solder the other resistor lead to + 20 V available at the positive terminal of
to 27-pF capacitor should suffice to reduce pin 1 of P103. To avoid short circuits. slip C143, a 220-pF, 25-V electrolytic capaci-
the loading on T20l, you may need to ex- insulating tubing over the resistor leads be- tor in the SM-220's low-voltage power
periment with the value of this capacitor. fore soldering. supply,
Too much capacitance fails to eliminate the Curing Horizontal Shrinkage of the Band One of two approaches can be taken to
.images; too little capacitance reduces the Scope Display quiet the SM-220's built-in relay, RLlOl:
amplitude of the displayed signal. The SM-220's horizontal trace shrinks (I) Install a 180-11, \I,-W resistor in ser-
I suspect that further improvement of when its SYNCIMKR switch is set to INT/OFF. ies with, and a 100-pF, IO-V electrolytic
this image-reduction fix could be made by This shrinkage does not occur when capacitor in parallel with, RLlOI's coil.
replacing the TS~940's on-board IF1 SYNC/MKR is pressed to EXTtON, but then
You can install these components under the
damping resistor with one of a higher PC board and near the relay-the resistor,
the Band Scope marker comes on, masking
resistance. When my TS-940S is out of by cutting the copper trace between D 101
signals at the display's center.
warranty, I'll probably try this. Meanwhile, and the RLIOI solenoid, and soldering the
To solve this problem, remove the
I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who SM-220's top cover. The SYNCtMKR switch resistor across the cut; the capacitor, by in-
tries this.-Charles J. Michaels, W7XC. is a DPDT unit. The side of the switch with stalling it across the solenoid-terminal pads,
13431 N 24th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85029 two wires controls the marker; the other with its negative lead to ground.
side of the switch-c-with three wires- (2) If you want to silence RLIOI com-
AK7M: Because the SM-220 contains a CRT
and operates from the 120~V ac mains, switches the sync. Disconnect the two outer pletely, replace it with a I2-V, SPDT reed
portions of its circuitry operate at dangerous wires on the sync side of the switch, trans- relay. You can remove RLIOI from the
ac and dc levels. Don't attempt to modify a pose them, and reconnect them in their board by desoldering its leads with de-
pluqqed-In SM~220, don't work on an soldering braid and working it loose from
transposed positions. Now, you can enjoy
unplugged SM-220 until its power-supply filter the board. There's enough space under-
capacitors have discharged, and make "live" shrink-free Band Scope operation with the
SM-220. With this modification in place, neath the circuit board for a reed-relay
adjustments only after taking the precautions
specified by Kenwood in the SM-220 documen- the functions of the SYNC/MKR switch are RLIOI substitute.-Eldad Benary, NZ2F.
tation. EXTtOFF (out) and tNTtON (in). 7510 George Sickles Rd, Saugerties, NY
12477
MORE SM·220 MODIFICATIONS Calibrating the SM-220's Band-Scope
Display AK7M: See the caution at the end of W7XC's
Automatic Trace Shift During Band Scope SM~220 item, above.
Operation If you adjust the SM-220's ± 20 kHz
D The SM-220's display is most useful in scan width to ± 25 kHz, you'll have a very RF FEEDBACK IN THE KENWOOD
its Osc/RTTY and Moni/Trap modes convenient 5 kHz/div scan that simplifies TS·130S
when centered vertically on the display estimation of signal spacing. See pp 18-19
of the SM-220 operating manual, or p 22 D After using my TS-130S mobile for an
graticule. In the Band Scope (panoramic- extended period of time, the following
adapter) mode, though. the display is more of the SM-220 service manual, for how to
adjust the SM-220's scan width and display problems suddenly arose: In CW, the trans-
useful when repositioned two scale divi- ceiver continued to emit a carrier even after
sions below center. This provides more center frequency. The .± 20 kHz scan width
can be adjusted to ± 25 kHz by adjusting the key had been released. In the SSB
room for display of signal amplitude. A mode, the transmitter went into oscillation
one-resistor modification can provide this the ± 100 kHz control (fC201). (This does
not much degrade the limited accuracy of as soon as modulation was applied,
shift-when you set the SM-220's FUNC- producing a continuous output signal even
TION switch to BAND SCOPE, or automati-
the ± 100 kHz range.) Alternatively, in-
stalling a 330-kll, \1,- W resistor (this value when modulation had ceased. These
cally if you've modified your SM-220 as per problems occurred on all bands above
Wade A. Calvert's "Automatic TR Switch- may require experimentation) in parallel
with R245 (68 kll) on the BS-8 (or BS-5) 7 MHz-even though the transceiver's
ing for the Kenwood SM~220 Monitor power-supply voltage, and the SWR on the
Scope" (QST, Nov 1988, pp 24-27). module should accomplish the same thing.
antenna feed line, were within acceptable
See Fig 29. On the foil side of the Quieting an SM-220 Equipped with limits.
SM-220's main PC board, solder one lead WA9EZY's Automatic TR MOdification Because the radio had been subjected to
of a I-kG, !;4 ~ W resistor to the junction of After installing WA9EZY's SM-220-TR- vibration in mobile operation, I suspected
1·20 Chapter 1
that a poor internal ground connection was
causing RF feedback. Tightening the
__ 1_11/16"_1
mounting screws on the individual circuit
boards and reseating all removable inter-
connecting cables solved the problem.-
Andrew Blackburn, WD4AFY, 307 E 57th
St, Savannah, GA 31405, and Philip
r '.;-11
?It'I I ~J ~........ -------~
Neidlinger, KA4KOE, 3331 Louis St,
Thunderbolt, GA 31404
IMPROVED MASTER·OSCILLATOR
- B B
CALIBRATION FOR THE TS·430S
D Here's the technique I use to improve
the frequency calibration of my TS-430S
transceiver. This method, which sets the
TS-430's 36-MHz reference oscillator, Fig 30-Dave Miller's memory button guard consists of a single piece of 5/32-inch-thick
assumes that the '430 to be calibrated wood veneer. The dimensions shown may need to be changed to fit your situation.
has been modified for frequency display
to 10 Hz.
I) Set the rig for USB or LSB opera- A second possible cause of low or varia- F. Miller, K9POX, 7462Lawler A ve, Niles,
tion, RIT off. ble power output in the TS-430S is poor IL 60648
2) Tune the'430S to the highest active conductivity through the single-pin, push-
WWV frequency (20 MHz is best) so that on connector, DRY, that provides + 13.8 V A NARROW RTTY FILTER FOR THE
the frequency display indicates WWV's to the driver section of the final unit. Get- KENWOOD TS·430S TRANSCEIVER
frequency exactly. ting to this connector requires removal of D For owners of TS-430Stransceivers that
3) While WWV is transmitting a con- the transceiver's top and bottom covers, include YK-88CN 27Q-Hz CW filters: Con-
tinuous tone, adjust trimmer capacitor TCI plus the six recessed screws around the necting pins I and 2 of connector 27 on the
(on the '430's CONTROL board) until the perimeter of the rearmost chassis lip. Fold- 430's IF board with a short piece of solid
demodulated tone is identical in the USB ing the assembly back and away from the wire (no. 22 is suitable) causes the
and LSB modes. Toggle between USB and main chassis allows limited access to the YK-88CN to be selected in the transceiver's
LSB as necessary until the tone pitches DRY connector, which is located almost "narrow SSB" modes. When used for LSB
match.-Robert L. Keplinger, NDRK, midway across the perforated metal shield reception, the filter is centered on the stan-
Kansas City, Missouri cover of the final unit. This procedure will dard high RTTY tones for 170-Hz shift
Editor's Note: The T8-4308 frequency-generation probably allow you enough access to (2125 Hz mark and 2295 Hz space) and
scheme depends on the accuracy of several inspect this single-pin, push-on connector works great. The only drawback to this
oscillator frequencies for overall accuracy, and for tightness; if not, you'll need to remove modification is that the 270-Hz filter
variation in the frequency of more than one of doesn't work in the USB mode (necessary
these oscillators can shift the pitch of received the shield cover for full access. (This
signals. I'm speaking of the '43O's carrier oscil- involves removing four more screws, cut- for AMTOR operation) unless the IFSHIFT
lator in particular; the T5-430'5 audio response ting cable ties and temporarily redressing control is turned clockwise as far as it can
during 88B reception and transmission also de- the TS-430's wiring harness. If you decide go-and then it passes only the mark tone
pends on the proper alignment of this oscillator. and attenuates the space tone.-Kenneth
Although adjustment of the '430's reference
to do this, study the transceiver carefully
oscillator can serve as a stopgap measureshould before proceeding. Take plenty of time, O. Flint, N7IMR, 3600 Data Dr #58,
the rig's frequency display be out of whack, the making notes and sketches as you go to Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
best way to ensure the overall accuracy of such ensure correct reassembly once you've
multi-oscillator frequency-generation schemes is CW-PITCH·CONTROL
to realign all of the oscillators involved. The
finished.) If the DRV connector is loose,
T5-4305 Service Manual tells how to do this. crimp it slightly with needle-nose pliers. MODIFICATION FOR THE KENWOOD
-Dave Miller, NZ9E, 7462 W Lawler Ave, TS-440S TRANSCEIVER
CURING ERRATIC POWER OUTPUT Niles, IL 60648 D Somenewertransceiver models havea CW
IN THE TS·430S TRANSCEIVER pitch control-a control that changes the
D If you've experienced erratic power out- A GUARD FOR THE TS-430SMEMORY pitch of received CW signals while keeping
put from your Kenwood TS-430S trans- BUTTON them centeredin the IF passband. [Thorough
ceiver in the transmit mode, here are a o When operating my Kenwood TS-430S designs also simultaneously adjust the CW-
couple of quick things that you might want transceiver, I had a tendency to hit the rig's sidetone frequencyto match the pitch of CW
to try before packing it off to the repair M. IN (memory input) push button instead signalstuned to fall at IF center.-WJIZlln
center. of my intended target (MR, memory effect, this amounts to simultaneousRIT and
First, try exercising the switch on the recall). This, of course, erases the selected IF shift-an effect you can simulate on the
TS-430's X-VERTER connector (13), an memory channel and stores whatever fre- Kenwood TS-440S transceiver by simultane-
eight-pin DIN socket on the transceiver's quency happens to be displayed at the ously moving its IFSHIFT and RIT controls in
rear apron. This switch is part of the moment! opposite directions. Here's a simpleTS-440S
chassis-mounted connector and is actuated I solved this problem by making a small modification that allows you to Hone-track"
when a plug is inserted in the jack, remov- switch guard out of thin wood veneer as CW signals by moving the radio's concentric
ing RF drive from the TS-430S final circuits shown in Fig 30. (Hobby stores carry such IFSHIFT and RIT controls together and in the
and routing it instead to the external trans- material; plastic is also suitable.) I used same direction. This simulates a pitch con-
verter. The switch can develop poor nor- model paint to color the guard to match the trol because the TS-440S's IF-shift and RIT
mally closed conductivity through disuse. '430's front panel and stuck the guard to tuning rates are very similar. Doing this
Use an appropriate DIN plug for this task, the panel with double-stick tape. (A modification, which involves reversing the
or actuate the switch, which is located at temporary mounting technique makes the TS-440S's IF SHIFT control (VR6, front sec-
the keyway point on the chassis connector, guard removable for later resale of the rig.) tion) wiring, takes about an hour and likely
several times with a small screwdriver. Be The effect of the switch guard is simple: invalidates your TS·440S'~ warranty; it also
sure the TS-430S is turned off when you If I want to push M. IN, I must push the renders the TS·440S's IF SHIFT + and -
do this. button intentionally and square/y.-David markings incorrect. (This modification isn't
Equipment Tips and Modifications 1-21
example, the TS-13OS, 430Sor 14OS/680S) as HIGHER VISIBILITY FOR TS-440S
long as its RIT and IFSHIFT controls are con- KEYPAD NUMBERS
centric, and the tuning ranges of these con- D The numbers on the keypad of the
trols are approximately the same.-Paul R. Kenwood TS-440S transceiver are difficult
Signorelli, WBR W, Colorado Springs, to read because of their small size, and be-
VR. Colorado cause of the insufficient contrast between
End Terminals
TS-440S SELECTIVITY the dark gray keys and the light gray
MODIFICATION FOR CW numbers. I solved this problem by applying
o The Kenwood TS-44OS transceiver's selec- white 3/16-inch dry-transfer numbers
directly over the existing numbers. When
tivity-switch positions are AUTO, Narrow,
M1, M2 and Wide; my 18-440S includes a
carefully applied, they look absolutely
YK-88C CW filter (bandwidth, SQ() Hz at factory installed,. and are quite visible (to
Cross-Connected
- 6 dB). Installing any of the TS-440's say the least!). The transfers are available
Jumper Wires at hobby shops.-Ron Akre, NM4H, 27
accessorycrystal filters involvesmoving a blue
(Solder Each End)
or white jumper wire to one of three termi- Hillside cu. Lexington, SC 29072
nals (WIDE, SSB or cw) inside the radio. This hint also applies to the Kenwood R-SOaO
Fig 31-Reversing the T5-4405's IF-shift The instructions for installing only the receiver.-AK7M
tuning sense involves two PC-board·trace
cuts and two jumper wires. See text. optional SQ(}- or 270-Hz crystal filter ad- A SECOND VOX ON-OFF SWITCH·
vise that the internal white jumper wire be FOR THE KENWOOD TS-830S
moved to the cw terminal and that the TRANSCEIVER
blue jumper wire remain on one of the
worth doing if you don't use a 270-or Sao-Hz WIDE terminals. This done. selecting the D I always use my TS-830S in the VOX
CW filter in your TS-440S, because wider AUTO selectivity option in the CW mode mode-which. as far as I am concerned,
filter passbandsallowconsiderable received- automatically switches the CW crystal filter is the only way to go. Unfortunately,
signal-pitch excursions that the narrower into the circuit. Bypassing the CW filter switching from VOX to MOX necessitates
filters don't.) Youdon't evenhaveto remove (for quiet or uncrowded band conditions) turning the transceiver's vox GAIN control
the TS-440S's front panel: involves rotating the selectivity knob from down or to OFF. I sought a means of
1. Working on an electrostatic-discharge- AUTO and through the Nand M1 positions modifying my '830 so that VOX could be
protected wcrkbench.!" remove the to M2-or placing the radio in the LSB or .turned off without disturbing the setting of
TS-440S's top and bottom covers. USB mode. (Working a CW station after the vox GAIN control.
2. Pull all four knobs off the RIT, XIT, AF tuning it in as LSB or USB requires that
and RF controls. Using a socket wrench or the CW mode be selected in transmit-and
long-nose pliers, loosen and remove the retuning the VFO so the'44O transmits and VOX GAIN
control-bushing nuts. receives on the same carrier frequency.) CONTROL
3. Lower the front-panel assembly. (One DH
A simple modification remedies these in- SWITCH
retaining screw is shorter than the others; be conveniences and allows CW reception-
sure to note its location so you can reinstall in the AUTO selectivity position-through
it in the same place.} the TS-440's standard 2.2-kHz filter. To
4. Pull the RIT/AF/RF board up far use the CW crystal filter, you need only to
enough to work on the IF SHIFT control ter- turn the selectivity knob one position to the
minals. They are soldered directly to the right (to the N position) without retuning (REAR VIEW-NOT TO SCALE)
board. the VFO. All other selectivity positions
S. Isolate both end terminals of the IF retain their original functions, including the
SHIFT control by cutting the board trace AUTO position, for automatic bandwidth Fig 32-Jack Golden's T5-8305 modification
associated with each terminal with a sharp selection during AM, FM and SSB opera- allows the transceiver's VOX to be switched
knife. Confirm that the control end terminals tion. (Note: I don't know how this modifi- on and off without disturbing the vox GAIN
are isolated by checking for an open circuit cation may affect filter operation in control. See text.
across each cut with an ohmmeter or digital TS-440s that contain more than one acces-
multimeter. sory filter; my '440 contains only one [the Investigation of the '830's schematic
6. Cross-reconnect the control-end termi- 500-Hz-wide] accessory filter.) revealed that setting the vox GAIN control
nals with jumper wires as shown in Fig 31. To accomplish this, modify the TS-440S to OFF merely grounds the input to the
7. Reassemble the transceiver, taking care as follows: '830's VOX amplifier circuitry. I
to replace the short screw at the spot you l. Remove the TS-440's top cover by determined that the TS-830's DH (digital-
noted in Step 3. removing its nine retaining Phillips-head display hold) switch could be rewired to do
When you've completed this modification, screws. Careful: The speaker wires are this. With the transceiver off and discon-
the IFSHIFT and Ril controls track, allowing short; don't pull them loose from the nected from the ac mains supply, locate the
one-handed pitch adjustment with the circuit board. red wire that goes to the DH switch.
TS-44OS. Now, you can easily move interfer- 2. Locate the white jumper wire on the Measuring from the DH switch, cut this
ing signals to zero beat-or you can move a right rear edge of the IF unit next to the wire long enough to reach the left-hand
desired signal to a more comfortable receive CW crystal filter. terminal of the switch on the vox GAIN
pitch and then individually adjust IF SHIFT 3. Move the white wire from the CW control. (Tape the free end of the DH wire
and RIT to drop interfering signals off the terminal to the other pin on the WIDE ter- and tuck it into its associated wiring
filter skirts. minal (where the blue lead is located; there bundle, out of harm's way.) Strip the DH·
A similar modification might work db are two pins for each terminal position.) switch end of the wire, and solder the wire
another Kenwood MF/HF transceiver (for 4. Replace the top cover of the radio, be- to this terminal (see Fig 32). This places the
ing careful not to pinch any wires. DH switch in parallel with the VOX on/off
This simple modification makes CW switch. When the DH button is locked in,
1788e Bryan Bergeron, "ESO-Electrostatic Dis- operation with the TS-440S more con- the VOX is off; the VOX is on with the
Charge," Part 1, QST, April 1991, pages 19-21; venient and sensible.-Jeff Elson, KR60, button oUI.-Jack P. Golden, KK2W, 28
Part 2, QST, May 1991, pages 28-29, 33. PO Box 342, Brookfield, MO 64628 S Main St, Portville, NY 14770
1-22 Chapter 1
EXTERNAL TS-830 PHONE PATCH
CONNECTIONS
PTT
o Here is a simple external phone-patch
mixer for those who bought a Kenwood
TS-830S only to find that the phone-patch
2 ,
input to the microphone circuit had been .,e AUDIO
SOCKET
eliminated. Wire the connections as shown
in Fig 33. To simplify wiring at the con-
nectors, divide the shield wires of the coax
into two groups and solder them into pins
3 and 4 as shown. The resistor value is not 39ki1.*
PHONO
critical, but should be as shown or greater. JACK
The normal MC-60 microphone output is * - SEE TEXT
not reduced and the Heath phone-patch
transmit gain (using the high-impedance
output) is set at about 5.-J. T. Kroenert,
KA 1PL, Barrington, Rhode Island Fig 33-A schematic of KA1PL's phone-patch box. Use shielded cable for the audio lead.
KA1PL mounted the mic socket, phono jack and resistor in a 2 x 2314 x 'l Va-inch metal
box.
FEEDBACK: KENWOOD TRANS.
CEIVERS CAN KEY COMMERCIAL
LINEAR AMPLIFIERS
o In "An Improved Circuit for Intercon- 1) Open the microphone case and locate
UIO
necting the S8-200 Amplifier and Solid- the PTT switch. 4066 +8 V DC
State Transceivers," (p 1-8) Richard Jaeger, 2) Disconnect the red wire from the c SWITCH (IN TRANSCEIVER)
K4IQJ, mentions that he interpreted our terminal of the PTT switch and disconnect
the two black wires from the NO terminal. O.tjJF RI
reference to the low-current capability of
the TS-940's amplifier-keying circuitry as 3) Solder the red wire to the NO IDa sn
C2
terminal. ;:;=,o.Ot jJF
meaning "low voltage." We feel that many .4
4) Separate the two black wires and iden- R2
of your readers might misinterpret Mr. 12 CTL vee
tify the one that goes to the UP and DWN S\
Jaeger's statement. All Kenwood trans- lOMfi 011 10 O--OKO
ceivers are capable of interfacing with any switches.
1\ ENABLE
5) Solder this wire to the PTT switch on 110 GNO
commercially manufactured linear ampli- KE
the C (common) terminal. 7
fier without the need of an external keying k = 1000
6) Solder the other black wire to PTT
circuit. Our reference to "low current" M = i.OOO,OOO
switch NO terminal.
means just that, and was included so that
7) Reassemble the microphone. UiA, UtB, UIC
home builders would not try and use an old
This modification disconnects the
Dow-Key-type relay. Our linear amplifier,
MC-48's up/down switching circuit in 1,4,8 2,3,9
the TL-922A, uses a relay voltage quite 110 011
transmit but maintains normal up/down
similar to the Heathkit" linears, and does
operation during receive. It may be applica-
not require any special keying circuit!
ble to other microphones that have unused \3,5,6
Please reassure your readers that the use
normally closed P'I'Teswitch contacts.
of such relay switching circuits is not
-Stanley P. Sears, W2PQG, 188 Concord
required in the TS-940S or any other Fig 34-N3BDH's auto-scan circuit for the
Dr, Paramus, NJ 07652 Kenwood TR-7930/7950. Keyboard lines KD
Kenwood transceiver when connecting any
commercially available linear amplifier. and K3 can be accessed on the rig's
AUTOMATIC SCANNING FOR THE control-unit PC board at J8. Dc supply for
This includes amplifiers manufactured by KENWOOD TR·793017950 the circuit (8 V) is available at J17, pin BC,
Heathkit, Alpha/ETO, Henry, Ameritron, o As many radio amateurs do, I on the RX-unit board. Resistors are V4-W,
Kenwood, ICOM, Yaesu, Drake, ARD, frequently operate 2-meter mobile. carbon film; capacitors are disc ceramic.
AMP Supply, etc.-Craig L. Martin, Whether I'm on a trip, or just tooling 51 is a subminiature 5P5T toggle. C2, not
KR6T, Customer Service Manager, Ken- discussed in the text, bypasses Vee to
around town on my days off, the rig is in ground for RF.
wood USA Corporation, PO Box 22745, the car. I use a Kenwood TR-7930, and
Long Beach, CA 90801-5745 every time I start the car, I have to press
the SCAN key or hold in the UP button on
RECEIVE·ONLY UP/DOWN the microphone to initiate the '7930's the control line is high, the I/O and 0/1
OPERATION WITH THE KENWOOD SCAN feature. It seemed to me that there ports are connected. The automatic scan-
TW-4000A TRANSCEIVER AND MC-48 had to be a better way to start the rig scan- ning circuit uses the fourth of U I's sections
MICROPHONE ning every time I turned it on! (U lD); control, I/O and 0/1 lines for the
o Kenwood's MC-48 microphone includes The '7930's microprocessor senses key- other three switches are grounded. With SI,
UP and DWN buttons that allow frequency strokes on the rig's 16-button keyboard by ENABLE, closed, U lD's I/O and 0/1 lines
and scanning control in transceivers means of four input lines and four output are connected to the TR-7930 keyboard lines
capable of providing this useful feature. lines. A pulse is sent on one of the output corresponding to the transceiver's SCAN
Using the MC-48 with my TW-4000A trans- lines. To recognize which key was pressed, button (K3 and KD, respectively, in
ceiver, however, I'd often inadvertently the microprocessor scans the input lines for Kenwood nomenclature). RI and R2, in
push one of these buttons while transmit- the pulse. I developed a means of pressing conjunction with Cl , provide the time delay
ting. Each time, I discovered the resultant the '7930's SCAN button electronically at needed to hold UID's control line high when
frequency change only after I returned the power up. The circuit is shown in Fig 34. the circuit (along with the TR-7930) is
rig to receive mode. UI is a 4066 CMOS quad bilateral switch. powered up. This closes the bilateral switch,
To avoid this problem, rewire the MC-48 Each of U I's four switches has a control connecting K3 and KD to start scanning.
microphone as follows: line, an I/O port and an 0/1 port. When Once Cl charges, the control line is held low
1-24 Chapter 1
MFJ through Ten-Tee
HAND-KEY INPUT FOR THE MFJ
+5 V FROM HOT
GRANDMASTER KEYER
r-----.----f ~~S~S~bR3~~- fi4
o At the same time I decided to add a COLLECTOR
necessary to operate the memory switches. the front-panel push-button switches. 02\ )
(2) The Grandmaster has no provision for 5) Solder one coil between each
a rechargeable memory backup battery. ungrounded terminal-strip lug and the hot 2.2 ~ iI.
The stock keyer contains a holder for a 9-V terminal of its corresponding memory push 1/2W
alkaline battery, but such a battery lasts button. (The chokes and bypass capacitors
only a few hours if power fails. Replace- are necessary, by the way; they prevent
ment of this battery involves removing the false triggering problems that can occur if
keyer's top cover and two back-panel RF rides into the keyer on the 4-wire cable.)
screws. This inconvenience, plus the cost 6) The balance of this modification
of periodic replacement, makes a consists of mounting four push buttons in
rechargeable backup battery desirable. a suitable enclosure that can be firmly
My Grandmaster owner's manual did mounted to the operating table, and wiring
not include a schematic. But examination a suitable length of four-wire shielded cable Fig 36-Jon Zaimes installed rechargeable
to these switches. [Borrowing a computer memory back-up in his MFJ Grandmaster
of the keyer showed that one side of each keyer by adding three parts: a 2.2-kn rests-
memory push button is hot and the other term, some operators refer to such a keyer- tor,.a 1N4004 diode and a "9-V" NiCd
side is connected to chassis. These switches remote-control box as a mouse; we'll battary. D21 and D22 ara MFJ parts. This
can be "remoted" as follows; this modifi- continue with that term here.-AK7MJ drawing doas not show tha Grandmastar's
cation preserves the function of the Grand- Mount the mate of the connector installed ae-adapter input. See text.
:. 1/
NC
A +13.8
+13.8 OUT o
a ~. CB o
o
PTO o W XTAL
c-
GOO 0 GNO
o
0 Fig 38-This diagrem c-,
of the 243's chassis o
--sr- : CuI Trace W: Jumper shows where to make
the modifications
described in Steps 7 oro~e
Fig 37-leakage from first-run Ten-Tee 243 through 12 of the
VFOs can be reduced by cutting three cir- text.
cuit traces and adding two jumpers on the
243's 80505 Amp/Switch Board as shown Added
here. see text. R'$islor
1-28 Chapter 1
Yaesu
MORE "LOW POWER" POWER CURING FREQUENCY DRIFT AND incandescent-lamp antenna fuse with another
OUTPUT FOR THE YAESU IT-23R INDICATOR-LIGHT DIMMING IN incandescent lamp of the same type.
TRANSCEIVER THE YAESU IT·IOIZD TRANSCEIVER
o Having owned a Yaesu FT-23R hand- o Frequency drift and indicator-light CURING KEY CLICKS IN THE
YAESU FT-I02 TRANSCEIVER
held and PA-6 mobile de adapter/charger dimming after a few minutes of operation
for a few months, I found I needed more with early-production FT-lOlZDs can be o 'My FT-102 had quite a case of key clicks.
punch than the maximum RF OUTput (about solved, in most cases, by moving the In supplemental information indicating that
5.5 W) the rig produced when powered by PCl4305 voltage regulator from the inside this could be a problem in units serial-
the car electrical system. To solve this to the outside of the '101ZD's counter-unit numbered betweenXX03000! and XX069999,
problem, I purchased a "brick" at a local enclosure. This is a heat-related problem. Yaesu also provided an answer: Cut the
hamfest-and discovered that the FT-23R's The counter unit is mounted atop the VFO white wire at 14017 on the local-unit board
5.5 W overdrove it. Set for low power, the unit (see page 33 of the FT-IOIZD owner's (accessible from the bottom of the trans-
rig put out about 0.5 W-too little to drive manual). ceiver) and add a l-~F, 50-V electrolytic
the amplifier! Just undo the PC14305's mounting bolt, capacitor between Gland ground (positive
I called Yeasu and learned that the slide the regulator out of the enclosure lead to ground) on the FT-102's RF-unit
FT-23R's low-power output is adjustable. through the nearby rectangular slit, and board. (The necessary ground connection
Here's how. Carefully open your radio as remount the regulator at the same position can be made at the Rl045lead nearer to the
per the illustration on page 17 of its on the top of the enclosure. (Apply heat- l2BY7A driver tube.) Although this modifi-
operating manual, and fold the radio in sink grease between the regulator and cation certainly made an improvement, I felt
half. Look down the side of the half con- counter cover before tightening the that I could further improve on the FT-102's
taining the antenna connector to locate two regulator-mounting bolt.) None of the IC's keying. Increasing the value of the capacitor
small trimmer pots. The uppermost Doe three leads (orange, black, and red-white) suggested by Yaesu from 1 to 4 1LF is part
small (closest to the antenna connector) sets need be disconnected during this process. of my solution; adding the circuitry shown
the transceiver's RF output power. Output -Peter Gamble, VE4TZ, 295 Harcourt St, in Fig 40 completes the fix and results in a
increases with clockwise rotation of this Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3H4 textbook-perfect keying-waveshape decay.
control.
Connect the transceiver to a dummy THAT FT-I02 RECEIVER-INPUT FUSE
antenna via an RF wattmeter. Using a o If, all of a sudden, your Yaesu FT-102 01
power supply set to supply the voltage at transceiver sounds like its antenna is discon- 2N1303
which you'll use the transceiver in the field nected, and all you get is hash no matter /''i)r--/ KEY 3.
or car, adjust the rig's low-power output to how much you increase the AF gain, the KEY J RF Unit
the level you need. Reassemble the FT-23R. Rect A I--~>-H
cause may not be as serious as it first
Because this adjustment also increases the appears.
+
FT-23R's high-power RF output, be sure to ~ C1
Not long after my ,102 went out of "V
keep the transceiver in its low-power mode warranty a few months ago, this very thing
to keep from overdriving the amplifier- happened. After checking the antenna
and to avoid stressing the FT-23R's output- Chassis
connection, tuning up the transmitter (no
amplifier transistor. IS-Hank Hanburger, problem there), and checking the ' 102
K3 YDX, 2265 Misthaven Ln, Gambrills, operating manual for a solution (none Fig 40-Pat Lacey cured key clicks in his
MD 21054 found), I decided to put off shipping the rig Yaesu FT·102 by increasing the value of a
capacitor called for in a manufacturer-
tel-tlnts and Kinks recommendsagainst using the to Yaesu for a checkup and seek an answer suggested fix and adding the circuitry
FT-23R at output powers above its rated maxi- on the air (with another transceiver!). In shown here. Pat used a 2N1303 at Q1
mum in the high-power mode. Component conversation with Larry Oldham, WA0HHB, because It was handy; he writes that many
damage, and emission of spurious signals at
levels above those allowed by FCC purity-of- I got some advice and a great suggestion: general-purpose PNP switching transistor
emissions rules, may result.-AK7M "Inside the final-amplifier tank cage, types should suffice. See text.
there is a relay board attached directly to
RF/AUDIO FEEDBACK IN THE the 80-239 coax connector at the rear of the
YAESU IT-IOIZ AND ZD rig. On this board, there is a 'grain-of- Find the single white wire at KEY 3 on the
TRANSCEIVERS wheat' incandescent lamp connected across FT-102's RF unit board, trace it back up the
o In Oct 1986 QST, Bruce L. Mackey two vertical pins. This little monster acts as harness about 3!h inches and cut the wire.
refers to RFI in the FT-IOIZ and ZD trans- a fuse and has a habit of either lasting Connect the QI-Cl assembly between the
ceivers ("FT-I01ZD Modifications," Hints forever Or just going poof. It is in the two wire ends as indicated in Fig 40. (The
and Kinks, p 49). Bruce suggests bypassing receiver antenna line." ground lead can be a 4!;2-inchwire clamped
the rnic input leads, and so on. In my ex- With the rig unplugged from the wall and beneath the head of one of the final-
perience, this modification only partly cures its high-voltage filter capacitors safely amplifier-cage screws.)
the' IOIZ/ZD RF problem and-if a phone discharged, I removed this useless compo- Now, on-the-air comments on my modi-
patch is used-does little to clear up the nent and replaced it with small-diameter fied FT-102 range from "good copy" to
audio distortion caused by the RFI. wire (a resistor or capacitor pigtail will do) "beautiful signal." -Pat H. Lacey,
I suggest checking the 'lOIZIZD's rear- and have been back in business again-no VE3DIT, 114 Merner Ave, Kitchener, ON
panel phone-patch jack ground terminal. problems, no aftereffects.- Tom Galante, N2H 1X6
Although this terminal may appear to be WA1PWZ, RFD 1 Nichols Rd, Center
Ossippee, NH 03814 USE THE KENWOOD VFO·520 WITH
grounded directly to the chassis, it wasn't-
A YAESU FT-707 TRANSCEIVER
at least on my transceiver. Connecting the
AK7M: Hints and Kinks is uncomfortable with 0 (Editor's note: Although this modification is
phone-patch-jack ground terminal to chassis passing along this hint without comment. very specialized, W0ZH'ssetup is a good example
at the jack cleared up the RFI in my case. "Either lasting forever or just going poot" of how we can adapt equipment to meet our
-Peter Gamble, VE4TZ, 295 Harcourt St, describes the action of a fuse to a TI In my needs. Those who do not wish to build entire
Winnipeg, MB R3J 3H4 opinion, it's far better to replace the FT-102's radios can "wet their feet" in home building with
EqUipment Tips and Modifications 1-29
FT-701 ADAPTER VFO-520
VFO-520
J6 (EXT VFO l CABLE
f- ~
f-..
EXT lifO RF IN
E (SHIELD I
r ---r-.
.---=:J'
"og- L L-
-
:
L'
~
2,O)olH
:-=r L~ --r--
•
e
vro
SHIELD
SIGNAL
13.~ II e
I , , ~3.' II XMIT
US II e
MEMO OUT e- O<
., "0
L. • • t3.0 1/
E (SHIELD I
ev
.-
•
~06 .n.
4.7k~
r ........ )
a
•
a
•
GROUND
8 II TO EXT vrc
i¥
e.r sn
r--- '-
rh II (GND RING ON CONN)
••
~
Fig 41-A schematic of W0ZH's adapter circuit for the Kenwood VFQ..520 and Yaesu FT-707.
01-2N3906. D1-1N761, 5.4-V Zanar L1-250-.H RF choka (valua not critical).
02, 03, Q4-2N3904. dioda (Zanar voltagas from 2 to 5 ara
suitabla).
simple adapter and connector projects. Also, the the '707 internal VFO) and provides 8 V its travel. Here's my solution to these
use of pill bottles orfilm cans to house such small to the '707, through RF choke LI , anytime problems-and how I modified the
circuits is an old idea that bears repeating.)
the VFO-520 is oscillating. FT-757GX's keyer-speed-control circuit for
I recently replaced my Kenwood TS-520 A 56-0 dummy load is also provided for operation at speeds higher than 30 WPM.
transceiver with a Yaesu FT-707, but kept the '707 unused MEMO OUT signal at J6, Investigation of the FT -757GX
my Kenwood VFO-520 external VFO. pins 8 and 3. schematic shows an 82-kO resistor in series
Since the tuning range of the VFO-520 The adapter was built usingan 8-pinDIN with the speed-controlline. This resistance
covers the same range as the '707 (5.0-5.5 connector to mate with the '707 and a 9-pin sets the maximum keying speed: The lower
MHz), my intention was to integrate the tube socket to accept the VFO-520 inter- the resistance, the higher the maximum
two units for split-frequency operation. My connect cable. The circuit was assembled keyingspeed. I decidedto increasemy 757's
goal was to provide the same capability as on a small pieceof perforated circuit board maximum keyer speed by bridging a
with the TS-520, but not modify either unit. and housed in a plastic pill bottle. The resistor across the 82-kO unit.
Except for spotting the two VFOs together, socket is installed on the bottom of the bot- Implementing a fine-resolution SPEED
the adapter of Fig 41 accomplishes this tle. A six-inch wire-bundle extends out of control is easy, too. Because I rarely use
goal. Either VFO can be used to control the the lid with the DIN connector attached to the 757's noise blanker at my location, I
transmit, receive or transceive frequency. the end. (I have used pill bottles to make decided to rewire its NB control to act as
The '707 digital readout displays the fre- several "tweenies" such as headphone and a FINE KEYER SPEED control and retain the
quency of the selected oscillator, RIT microphone connectors or impedance slide SPEED control for coarse speed'
operates normally. transformers.) adjustments.
First, the VFO-520 was tested to verify This approach could also be used to You can do either or both of these
operation at 8 V de from the '707 instead interface other Kenwood VFOs to the modifications. You'll need a Phillipsscrew-
of 9 V de as supplied by the TS-520. Oscil- FT-707 if the tuning range and switch driver for the Ff-757's cabinet screws; a
lation is stable, and only a slight (I-kHz) provisions are similar. If frequency low-wattage solderingiron with a small tip;
frequency shift was noted. The dial is memory and scan features are not neces- solder: needle-nosepliers; two feet of light-
recalibrated satisfactorily using the '707 sary, adapting the VFO-520 to the FT-707 gage, stranded,insulated hookup wire;and
marker generator'. is an ideal way to obtain split-frequency plastic tape suitable for insulating splices
The VFO-520 transmit relay operates at operation.-Myron A. Kern. W6ZH, in light-gage wire.
12 V. The QI/Q2 circuit was added to Manchester. Missouri I) Open the cabinet. Remove the four
boost the TX-8V signal (8 V during trans- screws that hold the top half of the radio
mit) from the '707 to 13.5 V. Since TX 8V FINE TUNE THE SPEED OF YOUR to the main chassis. Gently raise the front
is around one volt during receive, a Zener YAESU FT-757GX TRANSCEIVER'S of this assembly until you can reach and
diode, Dt, was added to give this circuit INTERNAL KEYER unplug the speaker leads. (A third hand is
a threshold of at least 2 V. helpful here.) Lay the top half upside-down
The '707 has several LED indicators to o The FT-757's keyer SPEED slide control behind the bottom half of the transceiver,
display which VFO is in operation. To light is difficult to use because it crams the being careful not to strain the wires that
the EXT indicator, the '707 must receive keyer's 5- to 30-WPM range into only 3/8 connect the two sections. (If you don't
8 V (de) with the EXT VFO RF signal on inch of travel. The 757's SPEED control is want to increasethe maximum keyer speed,
J6, pin 7. The Q3/Q4 circuit inverts the also quite nonlinear, covering the range skip the next step and go to step 3.)
logic of VFO-520 pin 8 (8 V de to power from 20 to 30 WPM in the last fraction of 2) Increase the maximum keyer speed.
1·30 Chapter 1
Remove the II screws that hold the sheet- from the free end of this wire, and mark keyer speed to increase with clockwise
metal shield to the top section of the it W2 for later reference. rotation of the control, insert WI into the
transceiver. Lift the adhesive-backed 4) Reassemble the tap part of the brown-wire socket of the J06 plug. Insert
padding that holds several small wires to transceiver. Carefully lower the upper W2 into the red-wire socket of the plug.
this shield; then, remove the shield and set section of the transceiver into place, (Lightly tin the ends of WI and W2 if the
it to one side. You now have access to the reconnecting the speaker leads as you do. wire you used isn't stiff enough for
keyer circuit board (mounted right below At the same time, feed WI and W2 between insertion into the 106 plug.) Once you've
the speaker). Locate R08, an 82-kll resistor, the lower circuit boards and the FT-757's made these connections, tape the plug, WI
on the circuit board. Tack-solder a high- front panel. With the top section back in and W2 together so they won't come apart,
value resistor across ROB to raise. the place, replace the four mounting screws and tuck them out of harm's way.
maximum keyer speed. (In my transceiver, that you removed in step 1 (the two longer 6) Jumper the noise-blanker level-control
paralleling a lOO-kll resistor with R08 gave screws go in the back). You've completed circuit to minimum. Short J06's two
a maximum speed of somewhat more than the hard part of the modification; the rest recessed pins by wrapping light-gage bare
60 WPM; a I-Mll resistor gave a maximum is a piece of cake. wire around them. (I used needle-nose
speed of about 42 WPM.) 5) Connect the NB control into the pliers to do this; a wire-wrapping tool
After you've completed this step, replace keyer-speed-control line. Place the might be better.) Place a small piece of
the shield, taking care not to pinch any transceiver upside-down with its front panel insulating tape over 106 when you're done;
wires. (If you want only to increase your facing away from you. Remove the eight this will keep the jumper from coming loose
FT-757 's maximum keyer speed, screws that hold the bottom cover in place. and causing a short circuit in the transceiver
reassemble the transceiver now. If you want Grasping the rig's carrying strap with one circuitry.
to rewire the '757's NO control as a fine- hand and steadying the rig with the other 7) Try out the modificationts). Using the
resolution SPEED control, proceed to hand, remove the cover by gently pulling coarse and fine keyer SPEED controls is
step 3.) out and up on the strap as if the cover were easy: Just set the original SPEED control to
3) Turn the NB control into a fine- hinged on the opposite side. Set the cover the approximate speed you want and make
resolution SPEED control. The small yellow aside. fine adjustments with the NB control.
wire that comes from the keyer PC board The PC board visible with the cover off Because I like to know my approximate
is the speed-control line. Unsolder it from is the RF Unit. Locate J06-a small, sending speed, I calibrated my '757's FINE
the SPEED-Control PC board, solder a I-ft plastic, two-conductor jack mounted near KEYERSPEED nee NO control for a speed of
length of hookup wire to the yellow wire, the edge of the RF Unit, just behind and 30 WPM at 12 o'clock by using computer-
and insulate the splice. Strip 118 inch of between the '757's headphone jack and generated code as a standard. Calibrated
insulation from the free end of the MODE switch. Its accompanying plug in this way, my FT-757's FINE KEVER
extension wire. We'll call this WI from now terminates two wires; one wire is brown, SPEED control allows me to vary the keyer
on. the other, red. Carefully remove the plug speed from about 18 to 42 WPM-and the
Solder a 1-ft length of light-gage from J06 by pulling on the plug body and hash marks around the control skirt
stranded wire to the SPEED-control-board not the wires. Locate WI and W2, and pull correspond to keyer-speed increments of
terminal where the yellow wire had been them toward the plug until they just reach about 2.5 WPM.-Roger Burch, WF4N,
connected. Strip 118 inch of insulation it. Rte 3, Box 235, Central City, KY 42330
Assuming that you want your FT-757's
,;
01 Ll
air with the intent of constructing a
working model quickly. The first crystal I
found in my "junk box" was a 4-MHz 10 MHl
T2
microprocessor-clock unit; I chose the J1
converter input and output frequencies (14 RF~
and 10 MHz, respectively) because they
"work" with a 4-MHz LO. IN~
Yes, it works. Dynamic range? I have no
idea. Sensitivity? You've got me, although EXCEPT AS INDICATED, DECIMAL
disconnecting my indoor antenna from the VALUES OF CAPACITANCE ARE
IN MICROFARADS (/,F); OTHERS
converter made most of the received ARE IN PICOFARADS ( pF l:
RESISTANCES ARE IN OHMS:
background (not line) noise disappear (the k '" 1000 +12 V
"low tech" sensitivity testl). Image
rejection? Not so hot; but this simple
prototype has only one tuned circuit Fig 43-A one-MOSFET converter based on a CO Ham Radio design. The principal
between the antenna and gate I of the difference between this circuit and that shown in Fig 42 is the drain trap (L1 and the 82-pF
MOSFET. after all. capacitor). Solenoidal slug-tuned inductors and transformers were used only because
How does the CQ Ham Radio circuit they were handy; their toroidal equivalents should work as well or better. See text.
compare with McCoy's? Well, my Fig 43 J1, J2-coaxial RF connectors. Reactance of secondary: a'pproximately
prototype doesn't oscillate if the 4-MHz Ll-14.B· to 31-.H Slug-tuned coil (Miller 344lJ at 14 MHz.
drain trap (L1 and the 82-pF capacitor) is 4407) set to approximately 19.3 .H. T2-4.7- to 6.B-.H Slug-tuned coil (Miller
Reactance: approximately 485 0 at 4407) set to approximately 5.9 IA-H;
shorted; shorting the drain trap of the CQ 4 MHz. secondary: four turns of enameled wire
Ham Radio circuit approximates McCoy's Tt-2.7- to 4.2-J'H slug-tuned coil (Miller over cold end of primary. Reactance of
hookup. (I suspect that the impedance of 4307) set to approximately 3.9 IA-H; secondary: approximately 370 0 at
T2's resonant secondary is too low at primary: three turns of no. 26 enameled 10 MHz.
4 MHz to allow QI to "take off" without wire over cold end of secondary.
the drain trap. At some combinations of
intermediate and LO frequencies, this may
not be a problem. Crystal characteristics
undoubtedly play a part.) The McCoy MOSFET, and keeps gate I and the source MOSFET, however, my prototype does not
circuit uses positive bias on gate 2 of the at the same dc potential. The Japanese oscillate with its drain trap shorted.
circuit returns both gates to ground; in Message: The drain trap is important! (CQ
conjunction with the voltage drop across Ham Radio carried one version of this
HlL. McCoy, "Improving Your Receiver the 27Q-O source resistor, this biases both converter in which the gate-Z-to-ground
Performance on 15and 10Meters," QST, Mar gates negatively relative to the source. Even resistor was IOkOinstead of 100kO; in that
1974, pp 26-27. with positive bias applied to gate 2 of the circuit, YI was a 4I-MHz crystal, and a
1-32 Chapter 1
5-pF feedback capacitor was connected
from gate 2 of Q 1 to ground.) 2.966-3.170 Oscillator
0' Q2 MPF102
It pays to make L I, or its resonating 5.993-6.207 MHz 100 n
D
capacitor, variable. In my prototype, the
crystal oscillated on several frequencies at 100
once and generated broadband hash unless KG
the drain trap was tuned just so. But it was L2
possible to find an LI setting at which QI
TUNING
oscillated cleanly. In my opinion, this
merely means more fun for the C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6 cs
experimenter! (I also point out that we're
perhaps being a bit unkind to the MOSFET
BAND-
in this circuit: Amplitude limiting- SET
essential in any oscillator that does not
destroy its active device[s]-obviously (A)
occurs somewhere in the circuit, but not by
design! [Unlike the cathode-grid diode in Low-Pass
Audio
a vacuum-tube oscillator, a MOSFET's Filter OUT
gate-source insulator can't conduct without 0.1 ,uF *10 kO
instantly destroying the device. Perhaps to
pin 6. U3
drain saturation is the amplitude limiter in
this case.]McCoy reported that the highest
RF voltage measured on gate I in his circuit Replace
was 4-well within the ratings of the 40673. with
jumper
I did not measure the gate 1 voltage in the (B)
CQ Ham Radio circuit.)
Might this single-MOSFET converter
* = existing component
Aside from installing a 4.0-MHz BFO band segments and does away with the need switch to select, when needed, an external
crystal, the MMD BFO modification in- to do tedious cut-and-try experimentation band-pass active audio filter. 29 These
volves replacing the BFO's l00-pF fixed with the inductance of L2. I chose a tuning filters, which are switched into the audio
capacitor (in series with Y2, the BFO range of 100kHz as a compromise between output line of the receiver, may overload
crystal) with a 15- to 150-pF, ceramic- reasonable bandspread, the MMD's selec- when the receiver gain is increased enough
dielectric variable capacitor to allow BFO~ tivity and the suboptimal quality of my to drive low-sensitivity, hi-fi headphones;
frequency adjustment. receiver's vernier drive. they work very well with 8-11 phones. (The
Reworking the VFO and Its 1r Output Filter filters are too noisy to be inserted between
New Mixer-Input Transformer for the
the MMD's diode product detector and
After studying the articles by Hayward 30~Meter Version
audio amplifier without low-noise AF
and Lawson." and Lewallen," I measured For 30 meters, the secondary winding of preamplification between the product de-
the frequency drift of a prototype oscillator Tl consists of 17 center-tapped turns of no. tector and the filter.)
containing various combinations of polysty- 24 enameled wire on a T~50-6 toroidal, I am very pleased with my modified
rene and NPO ceramic capacitors, and powdered-iron core. The primary is 3 turns MMDs. Their basic design is good, and
T-68-2 and T-68-6 toroidal inductors. The of no. 24 enameled wire over the secondary their stability, sensitivity and selectivity are
resultsconfirmed Lewallen'sobservationsof winding. This modification was described excellent when they have been modified as
the better stability of NPO capacitors and by Collins. 26 I've described. The input and active audio
T-68-{j inductors. I also followed Lewallen's filters provide a major improvement in
recommendation (attributed to Hayward) Input Band-Pass Filters
MMD performance. Either receiver can be
to anneal the toroids in boiling water for I calculated component values for the used on other bands with an external con-
a few minutes after winding and coating the antenna-line band-pass filters from the verter having "good" IMD characteristics.
coils with Q-dope. formulas in Solid-State Design for the I have several spare sets of crystals and
Radio Amateur? using a computer pro- other components for these modifications.
gram and K values (from Amidon's data Send an SASE with your inquiry or com-
24W. Hayward and J. Lawson, "A Progressive
Communications Receiver," QST, Nov 1981, ments if you want a reply!-Herb Ley,
pp 11~21. Also see Feedback, 08T, Jan 1982, N3CDR, cia Herbert L. Ley Assoc, Inc,
p 47; Apr 1982, p 54; and Oct 1982, P 41. This 26G. Collins, "Getting Started on VHF: A Tuna-
receiveralso appearson pp 30-8 to 30-15of The ble I-F for VHF Converters," OST, May 1982, PO Box 2047, Rockville, MD 20852
1989 ARRL Handbook. pp 32·34.
25R. Lewallen, "An Optimized QRP Transceiver," 27W, Hayward and D. DeMaw, Solid State Design 28See Note 24.
QST, Aug 1984, pp 14-19. Also see Feedback, for the Radio Amateur, 2nd printing (Newington: 29 0 . DeMaw, "Understanding and Using Audio
QST, Nov 1981, P 53. ARRL, 1986), pp 237·241. Filters," QST, Apr 1983, pp 45-48.
1-34 Chapter 1
TWO BANDS, SHORTWAVE- Table 2 and adjusting T2 (the Neophyte's
BROADCAST, UTILITY AND WWV Twisted
oscillator inductor), I obtained coverage
COVERAGE FOR THE NEOPHYTE ,::: Pair
from 4520 to 5995 kHz with S2 set to LOW
RECEIVER (closed), and 5775 to 6250 kHz with S2 set
o I built my version of John Dillon's C10
68 pF
to HIGH (open).
Neophyte Receiver (QST, February 1988, Installing S2 and C21: Ignoring cosmetic
pages 14-18)with altered frequency cover- HIGH C12 issues, I soldered a pair of no. 36 insulated
age because I already have an amateur- 365 pF wiresto the leads of CIOon the component
band transceiver. With slight changes in TUNING side of the Neophyte board and ran them
component values, I obtained a two-band as a twisted pair to S2 (mounted on the
receiver that covers WWV, two broadcast Fig 46-Bob Cromwell modified his front panel) and C21 (one lead of which is
bands and several utility" bands. The Neophyte Receiver to cover 4520 to 6250 soldered directly to 82). The capacitance
modification I'll describe provides cover- kHz in two bands by changing its oscillator between these wires very slightly lowers the
age of 6O·meter tropical broadcasting circuit (above) and replacing some of its maximum oscillator frequency from what
(4750-4995 and 5005-5060 kHz), the components with those shown in Table 2. it would be without the wires, but does not
standard-frequency-and-time allocation at S2 is an SPST toggle or slide switch. Sao cause frequency instability.
text.
4995-5005 kHz, 49-meter international Calibrating the tuning dial: I used a sig-
broadcasting (5950-6200 kHz) and frequen- Table 2 nal generator and frequency counter to
cies used by the aeronautical mobile, mar- determine the frequency represented by
itime mobile and fixed services between Neophyte Component Values for each multiple of 10 on my Neophyte's
4520 and 6250 kHz. 4520- to 6250·kHz Coveraga TUNING dial (which is calibrated from 0.0
See Fig 46 and Table 2. C21, a 220-pF Cl-l00 pF, ceramic. to 100.0). Then I interpolated between
capacitor, and S2, an SPST toggle switch, C7, C8-390 pF. these known values (with a short computer
are new components. S2, BAND, switches C9-200 pF. program) to obtain an estimated frequen-
C21 in parallel with the original Neophyte's Cla-66 pF. cy for every dial reading. This piecewise-
ClO to select my added "low-band" op- Cll-NotC2l-220 pF.
used. linear assumption introduces some error;
tion. By installing the components listed in the error is not obtrusive, however. After
C1's temperature stability is noncritical; it can generating a tuning table for each of the
be a ceramic disc. The other capacitors
30Shortwave listeners have long used utility as a listed here should be NPO, polystyrene or modified Neophyte's two bands, I ran the
general term for nonbroadcast, nonamateur silver mica for lowest drift. computer printouts through a reducing
radio services.-Ed. All component designators except C21 refer to photocopier until they were just big enough
parts In the original Neophyte circuit.
+OV
p:
r----"y'VI,---! + OV
100 jlF"
100
100
RfCl
100mH
.,
.,
T1 0.1
, k Input
A
Vee
Output
A
• 10 k
INPUT CJ
GAIN PEAK Cl 10 k
C2
5-50 2
NE602
Input
0.27 0.27 S 1 5 o.o,~
• RF"C2 + 7 +
'iI""
0.1 100mH
Output 0.1
J OND
DSC
•
DSC
5
0 7
12
21.050 c:=:::1 Elitcept a. Indicated, decimal
"H, 15
values of capacitance ore
L1
.r, In microfarads (,uF); others
are In picofarads (pF');
reslltancel are In ohms;
k= 1.000.
25
Fig 47-Wayne Burdick put his Neophyte receiver on 15 m and modified its audio response for better CW reception as shown here. The
parts associated with U1's pins 6 and 7 serve as frequency-determining and feedback elements in U1's local-oscillator subcircuit; C1,
C2, RFC1 and RFC2 reduce the receiver's audio response above 1 kHz; and R1 and C3 reduce hiss by decreasing U2's response at
higher audio frequencies.
T1 's secondary winding consists of 26 turns of #24 enameled wire on a T~50-6 toroidal core; the primary is 2 turns of #24 enameled
wire over the secondary'S pin 2 end. l1 consists of 26 turns of #24 wire on a T-SO-6 toroidal powdered-iron core; RFC1 and RFC2 are
Mouser Electronics 43LJ4l0 chokes. All electrolytic capacitors are 16 V; component designators not mentioned here and in the text
duplicate those of the original Neophyte. See the text and Note 32.
1-36 Chapler 1
CHAPTER 2 = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Batteries and Generators__
A SOURCE OF BATTERY PACKS
o Recent advances in instant photography
have required the development of special
power packs to run the camera electronics
responsible for auto-focus, exposure POWER
+
D.
~
,
ADJUST POWER SUPPLY
FOR 1:3.8 V HERE
+
XCVR
control, film advance and warning lights, SUPPLY
~ ,....=.
~A
in addition to flash. The new Polaroid"
Spectra" cameras have film packs
especially designed for this purpose, and
the battery contained in each film pack may
..
",_< ~ ~02 I JUMPER
20 W
?O
serve as a uniquely shaped power pack for
Amateur Radio use. The Polaroid Polaplus"
+
battery measures about 2-3/4 x 3-1/8 x
1/8 inches, and has an output of 6 V at
60 rnA. At my station, I've used the
OTl 1-12 V
3W QUICK 2
QUICK 1
+
PACKS '13.8 v DC st
BATTERY PACK
o Fig 3 shows a simple charge adapter I SLOW
~ :t
CHARGE
CURRENT RATE
use to charge batteries for my hand-held 2~OJ\
transceivers, The adapter allows both fast --.-w
and slow constant-voltage charging with a
regulated 13.g-V de power supply.'
Charge rates for several ICOM battery
packs are shown in Table I. The BP2 and
390"
DSl
Table 1
Charging Rates for Several ICOM Fig 3-K83WZ's emergency charge adapter for NiCd battery packs. 51 is a three-position,
Battery Packs single-pore rotary switch. D51 Is any common LED.
Pack Currant (rnA) Duration (hrs)
BP2tt 600 1-1.5
BP3 25 15
BP4t 45 15 BP5 have internal temperature sensors to be charged. The jacket acts as an expander
BP5t 500 1-1.5 protect them from excessive heat during and allows the AAA cell to fit snugly in an
tRecharge only NiCd batteries in the BP4. charging. When the pack becomes warm, AA charging well. As necessary, adjust the
true not quick charge batteries without DSI will go out. After a cool-down period
internal thermal protection. expander's length (perhaps with the addi-
of about a half hour, the DSI will flash, tion of a metal spacer between the nega-
indicating that the pack is ready for use. tive end of the cell and its corresponding
Construction of the charge adapter is not charger electrode), to assure solid contact
lGenerally, NiCd batteries last lon~est if charged critical. Mount the potentiometers on metal between the cell and the charger electrodes.
with a constant current, which is limited to about to help dissipate heat. I made a drop-in This technique can also be used to install
one-tenth of the cell capacity. Charging should charger by cutting the metal lid of a Radio
stop when a voltage of 1.3 V percell is reached. AAA cells in AA-cell battery cases.
Constant-voltage charging results in a quick Shack" (RS 270-230)box to fit the battery -Fred Devenish, G5UP/VE7BBD (8K)
charge (approximately one hour), but the packs. Use two machine screws as contacts.
voltaqe should be limited to about 1.5 V per cell Once you've successfully fitted AAA cells into
(nominal battery voltage is 1.2 V per cell), and
Adjust the potentiometers so that the an AA-cell charger, the next thing to ensure
charging should continue for about three hours. current is at the level indicated when the is that the AAA cells charge at a rate appropri-
Packs being quick charged should be switched pack is near full charge.-Joseph J. Janus, ate for their capacity.-Ed.
to the low-current rate when the LED goes out KB3 WZ, New Castle, Pennsylvania
and charged for a few more hours.
There are trade-offsfor quick charging a NiCe!
celt. Some references claim a cell life of up to AAA NiCds IN AN AA CHARGER BATTERY-CHARGE LABELS
1000 cycles for constant-current charging. My
quick-charge experience is with Kenwood's o My 2-meter hand-held uses AAA o With three battery packs for my hand-
PB-26 battery and ST-2 base charger (a t-hour, NiCds, but my charger only takes AA held transceiver, it has been a problem to
6OD-mA, quick charge). Kenwood claims a cells. Although adapters are available, I
300-cycle life for that equipment combination. keep track of which pack is charged or dis-
Operation of NICd batteries Is explained in found a cheap and easy way to fit AAA charged at any particular time. A common
"Those NiCad Batteries and How to Charge cells into my AA charger. solution is to use some kind of sticker to
Them!" Qct 1981 QST, p34. More sophisticated Remove a piece of the outer jacket-a
chargers appear in "Build the AA6PZ Power label the packs. Many stickers, however,
Charger," Dec 1982 OST, p 17, "Any-State section slightly longer than an AAA cell- are not easy to peel from the battery pack.
Nl-Cad Charger," Dec 1979 Ham RadIo, from a length of scrap RG-g cable. Slit the I found an answer in 3M@ Post-itTM
p 66, and The ARRL Handbook.-Ed. piece lengthwise and slip it over the cell to note pads. Post-it notes have a strip of
2-2 Chapter 2
weak wax-like adhesive along one edge. use nonconductive foam. Size the blocks wire on a l-kn, ';4-W resistor. (No. 32 was
They are meant to be repeatedly placed and to permit normal access to the hand-held's the closest to no. 33 I had on hand. The
peeled away without damage. [cut several controls.-Marc Norikane, N7MBE, 19005 fusing current of no. 32 is 7 A-close
pieces small enough to fit inside the top of 4th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98/66 enough to no. 33's 5-A rating for my
the battery pack. When a pack is dis-
purposes.) I insulated the replacement
charged, I place the sticky strip so that the CONDUCTIVE PLASTIC CAN choke with heat-shrink tubing before in-
paper covers the battery terminals. After DISCHARGE BATTERIES stalling it in my transceiver.
charging, [ move the strip so that the
terminals are exposed. The strips can be
o Recently, I purchased a pair of lithium Some fuse chokes include a ferrite bead
cells for backing up CMOS memory. Two on one lead. If this is so with your fuse
used repeatedly, and there is no damage to choke, be sure to remove the bead from the
Y2-inch-long radial leads protruded from
the battery packs.-Bob Schetgen, KU7G, burned-out choke and install it on your
ARRL HQ each cell. To prevent the cell leads from
shorting together against metallic objects home-made replacement.-George H.
in my junk box, I placed the cells, leads Klaus, W2CJN, /40 Mill Dam Rd, Box T,
REPLACEMENT BATTERY· first, into the black conductive foam I use Centerport, NY 1I72/-06/9
PROTECTION PLATE INDICATES to protect static-sensitive integrated
STATE OF CHARGE circuits. A 12-V DC POWER SYSTEM FOR
My haste to protect the cells resulted in FIXED·STATION USE
o [f you're tired of looking for the slide- their demise! Later, before installing one
in plastic plate for your extra hand-held o The 12-V power system that we now use
of the cells in my circuit, I checked its in our shack was created like many other
batteries, try the replacement shown in terminal voltage: 0 volts! I thought for a
Fig 4. Made from a 2-inch Pendallex folder projects-the need finally overwhelmed the
moment -and then I realized that antistatic laziness. My father (Ed Kabak, KA3DRD)
tab, it protects the battery terminals against foam isn't also called "conductive foam" and I share the same shack. After many
short circuits and allows you to slide in a for nothing. An ohmmeter check revealed years, we had accumulated many rigs, but
label indicating the battery's state of that the resistance of the foam over a dis- never enough power supplies to operate
charge. My label says HOT on one side and tance equivalent to the cell's lead spacing them. The most direct solution would have
RECHARGE on the other.-Greg Lane, was about 500 ohms. In effect, I had been to buy more supplies, but this has
K7SDW, 3970 Coronado Cir, Newbury plugged the lithium cells into a battery certain disadvantages: Power supplies are
Pk, CA 91320. discharger.-Otto Cepella, VE3HCD, costly in quantity, especially supplies
Ottawa, Ontario capable of operating high-power trans-
d!_~o;_~
packing material and all-aside for several (Fig 5) after carefully considering our
weeks. The shipper had placed plastic foam options. It was somewhat costly and time-
over the cell terminals to protect them consuming to build, but its payoff is
during shipment. You guessed it: The foam smoother operation of our ham shack. We
was conductive, and my "new" battery was no longer waste time trying to "find the
dead before I could install it!-Bruce E. power" for each of our 12-V-dc-powered
Trim to Fit Lackey, WB3HAE, Rockville, Maryland rigs. Each rig now has a permanent posi-
Hand-Held-Battery Editor's Note: It doesn't pay to put a powered-up tion and a permanent power feed. We also
Slide PC board down on a piece of conductive foam, have uninterrupted power when commer-
either: A friend of ours had to replace a 40-pin
microprocessor chip after such a maneuver. And cial power is lost, with no switching
conductive foam may not be the only plastic that circuitry. The system is intended to be used
Fig 4-Greg Lane replaced his battery· poses a short-circuit hazard: Conductive plastic- in a reasonably permanent installation; we
protection plate with a hanging-folder tab bubble packing material may do in an energy cell
or short a live circuit, too. have lived in the same location for many
modified as shown here. The slide-in label years.
Indicates state of charge.
Most of the Fig 5 components are housed
REPLACING BATTERY·CIRCUIT in the bottom of a 5-ft-high, 19-inch-wide
ONE PROTECTIVE CASE FOR MANY FUSIBLE LINKS rack. For energy storage and power-supply
BATTERY PACKS o The battery circuit of many hand-held time averaging, we use an automobile
o Dissatisfied with the performance of the transceivers includes a protective fuse battery (BTl) retired from service in my
rechargeable battery pack provided with a choke that prevents catastrophic damage in car. It's connected as if it's a power supply:
newly purchased hand-held, many people the event of a battery short circuit. Unlike It has an isolation switch (SI, BATTERY
purchase optional battery packs with a panel-mounted fuse, however, a battery OFF) and is externally fused. BTl is located
energy capacities more suited to their needs. fuse choke is not intended for easy replace- external to the rack because of space
This often means that the overall height of ment by its user. My first experience in limitations and the possibilities of acid spills
the hand-held and new battery pack differs having a burned-out fuse choke repaired by and gas buildup if the battery is charging.
from that of the stock configuration-a an authorized repair facility cost me (Automotive lead-acid cells must be
problem if you want to keep the radio in $27-$7 for the fuse choke, and $20 for handled with care because of their acidic
a protective case. To avoid the expense of labor. I decided to repair the choke myself electrolyte and their ability to source
purchasing a protective case for each trans- the next time! dangerously high currents when shorted.)
ceiver/battery pack combination, I suggest Investigation of my next burned-out fuse The advantage in using an old battery is its
the following solution: choke revealed a component consisting of low cost (its trade-in value when you have
Purchase the protective case designed to 14 turns of no. 33 magnet wire wound on to buy a new battery). its relative simplicity,
accommodate the hand-held and its largest a glass form about the size of a ';4 -watt and its large energy-storage capacity. We
optional battery pack. When you use resistor. A table in my Physics Handbook can operate our station for several hours
battery packs smaller than maximum size, indicated that no. 33 wire melts at 5 A_ without commercial power; how long de-
insert soft plastic-foam blocks cut to fit the the rating of the fuse choke. pends on exactly how much transmitting we
extra case space. To avoid short-circuiting I made my own choke by winding 14 do. Higher battery capacity translates into
charging contacts on the pack, be sure to turns of Formvar-insulated no. 32 magnet more operating time, of course.
Batteries and Generators 2-3
A plastic utility box (represented by the be enabled or disabled at any time with tive Field Day ideas can now follow you
shaded line in Fig 6) serves as a distribu- little impact on the system. Each supply home!
tion panel local to the individual rigs. Each must have internal protection-fuses, cir- We use Power Supply 2 to keep BTl
distribution circuit is limited to 10 A, max- cuit breakers, crowbars or other protective charged, or when we have only small loads
imum, and the circuit fuses (F5-F8), Fig 5) circuitry-and is connected to the bus via operating. Supply 2 is capable of sourcing
are located in the rack, with a pilot lamp a switch (S2 and S3, Fig 6), an isolation I. 75 A and is frequently left on line, hut
(DS3-DS6, Fig 5) on each to indicate that diode (Dl-D4, Fig 5), and a fuse (FI-F4, is occasionally turned off when the system
output circuit power is available. (We used Fig 5) in the rack. The rack fuses provide is unloaded and the battery is fully charged.
pilot lamps, but if power consumption is additional protection, and the combination Our present Power Supply I is a much
a factor, LEDs can serve as indicators.) of the diodes and supply-output switches larger, regulated, surplus, computer power
Each rig's power plug includes an in-line allow the power supplies to be connected supply, and is only brought on-line during
fuse (FlQ-F13, Fig 6) of the appropriate rat- to or disconnected from the power bus at transmitter operation. We shut it down
ing in its positive lead. These in-line fuses any time. The diodes are necessary; they when we're not using our rigs, or when the
allow each rig to be moved elsewhere (such prevent current flow back into a turned-off rigs are on but we don't intend to transmit.
as into mobile use) accompanied by its fuse. supply-especially important when the With both supplies on line-that is, operat-
For this purpose, we selected a fused con- power fails. Pilot lamps (DSI and DS2, Fig ing in parallel-much more current is avail-
nector assembly (Radio Shack? no. 5) indicates that power is being fed to the able than our transceivers require in
270-02.5) that is simple, sturdy, and pola- bus. We match the power-supply output receive, and the battery does not supply
rized. All of our 12-V rigs now use this voltages (the output voltage of one supply current; if necessary, it can charge during
same connector. is adjustable). The isolation diodes allow these periods. As the load on the system
The power supplies (Power Supplies I a variety of different power sources to feed increases beyond the capacity of the sup-
and 2, Fig 6) are connected so that they can the bus at the same time-all of those crea- plies, the battery provides the balance. This
T82 T83
+ from
01 F1 --- L1
F5
A +
Power Supplies
(Fig 6)
02 F2 --- L2 F6 to Loads
(Fig 6)
2 2 2 B
spare
03 F3 --- L3 F7
3 3 spare
04 F4 =L4 F8
spare 4 4 spare
5 5
220 !l
1,72W
220 0 DS3
V2W DS1 OUTPUT 1
SUPPLY 1 220 n
ON 172W
DS4
OUTPUT 2
SUPPLY 2 220 0
220 n
ON 172W
DS5
172W J1 OUTPUT 3
220 !l
TEST
J2 OS,
"i"72W
OUTPUT 4
S1
BATTERY
OFF
+
M1 Heavy lines indicate no. 12
V 0-15 stranded, insulated wire.
T81
T84
..., from 1
Power Supplies A
- to Loads
(Fig 6) (FIg 6)
2 2 2 8
spare 3 3 spare
spare 4
4 spore
Fig 5-Schematie of the 12-V de power system. Except for the components shown in the screened box, this circuitry is housed in an
equipment rack. See text and Fig 6,
BT1-Used, 12-V lead·acid automotive 272-331). 273-104).
battery. F1-F8-Dc fuse rated to provide protection Ml-D-15 V de voltmeter (RS no.
Ot, C2-o.1-~F. 5O-V, disc-ceramic at the bus load current. 270-1754).
capacitor (Radio Shack" no. 272-135). .Jt. J2-Nylon binding post (RS no. Sl-SPST toggle switch, rated at 20 A or
D1-D4-Power-rectifier diode capable of 274-662). more at 12 V (or more) dc.
safely handling load current, 15 A L1-L4-Approximately 100 mH, 10 A: As TB1-TB4--Heavy-duty barrlar strip with no.
minimum. many turns of no. 12, insulated, stranded B screws.
DSf-DS6-12-V, high-brightness, wire as can be wound on a snap- F1·F8 are held in four-position fuse blocks
incandescent-lamp assembly (RS no. together, toroidal choke core (RS no. (RS no. 270-742).
2-4 Chapter 2
TB'
12fromV ~
1+
r+ A ,,
+ fa Loads
hB f--
2+ ,
(Fig 5)
-A
,
cel
-~f --=-
4
~
- i=-
,
!
, T T 1
from
- to Loads [ -B -=- =-- lA I\lI JP1A IAI\lIjp2A IAI\j,tlp3A lAl\lIJ P4A
(Fig 5)
~
, 7
I-
, rIj\ IVIP1B rIj\ IVlp2B (Ij\ IVlp'B rIj\ IVl P4B
~
L~n RS no. 270-224 box no F11 F12 FB
IB)
52
SUPPLY 1 OUTPUT + + + +
~+ to 01, FigS CB 6-m FM H/4-m FM 2-m FM
- 10 T81, Fig 5 Xcvr Xcvr Xcvr xcvr
sa Fig 6-Power-supply and distribution wiring for the 12-V power system.
SUPPLY 2 OUTPUT F1o-F13-Dc fu.e reted to provide 52, S3-SPST switch, rated 20 A or more
~+IQDZ.F;g5 protection at the equipment load current. at 12 V (or more) de.
! - - - - - - - ! - I O TB1, Fig 5 P1·P4-Polarized. fused. de plug (part of Zl-Surplus 12·V, regulated de computer
Heo~y lines indicole no.12
RS no. 270-025). powar supply.
stranded, insulated wire. T85-Two-row, eight-position barrier strip Z2-12-V, unregulated de power supply
IA}
(RS no. 274-670). (RS no. 22-127).
arrangement allows us to time-average the operated below 10.5 or fI.OV. nor above have sufficient spare capacity to add our
power from smaller supplies, rather than 15 V, for instance; we monitor this manual- future hamfest conquests to the system!
buying large-capacity power supplies just ly, but a voltage-warning alarm, and low- -Edward R. Kobak, N3AZE, 551 Arch St,
to meet the transmitters' instantaneous voltage shut-off circuit, are features that Royersford, PA 19468-2530
current drain. The battery normally may be worth adding.
remains connected to the bus at all times, In our daily operating, we have come to POWER·OUTAGE POWER-SUPPLY
so a power failure disables only the rely on this system. It's intentionally easy DISCONNECT FOR FLOAT·
supplies. In such a situation, the battery to operate, simple and flexible. We built CHARGED SYSTEMS
supplies all of the current. With external it specifically for our ham shack, but it can o Here's a circuit (Fig 7) that's been most
power available, the battery takes current be modified as our needs change. We also useful during power outages. With it
from or supplies current to the bus as
needed.
The only routine maintenance the system
requires is an occasional check of the
supplies, batteries and other components; SUPPLY +..1-----------------...,
routine voltage monitoring-especially
after any changes are made in the system;
and routine testing of the system's emer- ALARM + f---------------,
gency capability by shutting the power
supplies off. Usually, a few hours operating
independently of the mains is enough to
prove the system's soundness.
LOAD +1-------,
Before building a system similar to this
one, consider your power needs and prior- BATTERY
51 A
+t~:>----' K1B LJ
ities. Our system is a compromise between
cost, flexibility, current-handling capability ,: POWER
HOT I
at various points in the system, and battery
capacity. I encourage that you thoroughly 518 ON
read Chapter 6, Power Supplies, in The 120 V AC
Rl * R2 *
TRIP
T1 VOLTAGE D1 * NO
6.3 V 50 0
AC 1W
117-Y AC
FROM
GENERATOR J1
FREQUENCY
COUNTER
* - SEE TEXT
(A)
T4
F2
AC
(assuming that ac mains energy is present), OUT
closing SI connects the battery to the load M1
(via SIA) and routes ac mains energy (via 0-150
SIB) to the power supply and KIA,
actuating K 1. Closed, the normally open
contacts of Kl (KIB) connect the power (8)
supply to the load and battery. When ac
mains energy fails, KIB opens, connecting Fig a-A schematic for W8ZCQ's Field Day overvoltage protector (A). The test and
adjustment circuit appears at B.
the battery and load to an alarm or
C1-4000-~F, 25-V, Electrolytic capacitor Ml-ac voltmeter (use a VTVM or other
indicator. (I use a motorcycle lamp as an accurate meter).
(see text).
"alarm;" it provides emergency lighting as 01, 02-Silicon diode, l-A, 50-V PIV Rl-5-W resistor (see text),
well!) When ac mains energy returns, the (minimum), R2-25·W potentiometer (see text).
power supply is again connected to the DS1, DS2-117-V pilot lamp. 51-Normally closed momentary-contact
battery and recharging begins. F1, F2-Fuse (20 A). . switch.
I usean old car battery in my system, and Jl-Coaxial jack. Tl-Transformer, l17-V primary, l2-V 1-A
Kl-12-V, SPST relay, l17-V contacts secondary.
it has been satisfactory for a couple of T2-Transformer, l17-V primary, 6.3-V
(see text).
years' use with 25-W FM gear. For a really K2-1l7-V, 5PST relay, l17-V contacts 200-mA secondary.
prolonged outage, the battery would have (see text). T3-1l7-V isolation transformer.
to be recharged by some other (perhaps T4-150-V variable autotransformer.
automotive) means.-Willard W. Waite,
W8GDQ, 45310 Webster Rd, Wellington,
OH 44090
generator-overvoltage protector. 2 It is and power relay as the basic circuit. (See
GENERATOR OVERVOLTAGE successful, and we would like to make it Fig 8.)
PROTECTION FOR FIELD DAY public domain. Here it is! The de power supply samples the line
o Many operators who have taken part in We set several design goals for our pro- voltage and applies it to the coil of any
Field Day operations strongly suspect that tector: (1) it should be uncomplicated; (2) convenient 12·V dc pilot relay. The pilot
it is scheduled on Murphy's birthday. it should be reproducible; (3) it should be relay should have a normally open contact
Murph celebrates with fiendish glee and built from junk-box parts to reduce cost. capable of switching the 117-V ac coil of
invokes his laws in every direction: The parts specifications are loose and the power relay. 3 Begin your construction
Antennas fall down, keyers won't key, it flexible so that you can adapt parts on by choosing the power relay, then choose
always rains-he whistles up all the static hand. Nothing is so irritating as finding a pilot relay that meets the control require-
he can muster. There is no end to his that a critical component was the only one ments of the power relay. The normally
mischief. in existence, and there is no substitute! open relay contact should close consistently
His one trick that hits hardest is excessive After considering many alternatives, we at some potential less than 12 V. (Thus, the
generator voltage. This problem plagued settled on a de power supply, "pilot" relay relay serves as a crude voltage reference.)
the Columbus ARA four years in a row, In our case, a randomly selected 12-V de
and with decent transceivers costing over relay was tested with a variable power sup-
a kilobuck, people got a bit "antsy" about 2[Hereare some references on related projects. ply and found to pull in reliably at 8.8 V.
bringing their "little jewel" out for Field -Ed.]
Day use. Our club decided to see if we N. Johnson, W20LU, "An AC Line Monitor,"
QST, Jan 1976 p·27.
could do something better than hang witch- R. Kaul, Wl FLM, "Field Day Generators" 31CARA used a 20-A relay for their power control,
bane on the generator. (Waveforms), QST, May 1975, pp 44-45. but the power relay need only switch the full
So-a-a, if Murph speeds up the genera- R. Mason, WBNN, "Expanded-Scale Power- generator output. For example, a 650-W
Line Voltage Monitor," OST, Dec 1979, generatorsuppliesa maximumcurrent of about
tor, we reasoned,let's shut down the power pp 40-41. 6 A. Radio Shacks' sells a 12-Vde DPOT relay
before the rigs start to smoke. Since no one W. Stump, WB4AHZ, "Is Your Generator (no. 275-218)capable of switching 10 A at 117
recalled anything of this nature in past Genin' the Way It's Supposed To?" (a V. That relay could perform all the functions
generator frequency monitor), QST, Mar required of both relays in the CARA circuit for
QSTs, we built our own prototype 1982. pp 38-39. generators up to about 1 kW.-Ed.]
2·6 Chapter 2
is rated at I A and 1000 P IV. The filter down the power twice. Each time, the volt-
capacitor is 4000 ~F at 25 WVDC, but any age had reached the 130-V setting, but
capacitance greater than 500 jlF should do. Murphy had been defeated-no rigs were
An ac voltmeter is the final indispensable damaged.-Dan Umberger, W8ZCQ,
component; the pilot lights and compo- Columbus, Ohio
nents related to the frequency counter are
optional. Such options were incorporated REDUCING THE CHANCE OF
because the parts were available and the GENERATOR FIRE ON FIELD DAY
features useful: Since a Heathkit frequency o Don't refuel a running generator
counter was available, an outlet was without taking special precautions.
provided for it. Gasoline's ignition temperature is low
Test and adjust the circuit by driving enough for a fuel spill on a running engine
Fig 9-A photo of WeZCQ's complete
system.
it through a variable-voltage transformer. to result in disaster for the engine and the
Change RI and the potentiometer, if neces- person filling the fuel tank!
sary, to allow adjustment of the trip poten- Falmouth Amateur Radio Association
tial from about 117 to 130 V ac. In the case member Jim Leavitt, KCIKM, suggests this
of our prototype, the range-was from 100 means of keeping gasoline-driven
Hence, we built an adjustable de power to 135 V. Once you have established the generators fire-free on Field Day: Remove
supply that provides from 8.1to 10.7 V at component values, mark the front panel. the generator fuel tank from the engine and
the pilot-relay coil when the input line At the outset, we only intended to mount it on a stanchion at a distance from
voltage is 117 V. protect one rig. After some of our club the generator. Run a hose (rated to carry
The most suitable potentiometer in our "authorities" examined and blessed the gasoline) between the tank and generator.
junk box was 25 ohms, rated at 25 W. It new circuit, we decided to protect all For added safety, equip the hosewith a drip
requires a series combination with a 12-0 CARA Field Day equipment. Out came the loop at the tank, mark the hose with rib-
resistor to produce the desired voltage hole punch, and another outlet was added bons at intervals, and ensure that no One
range for the pilot relay. The potentiometer for an extension that would serve the rest can trip over or walk into the hose. Have
and Rl values must be determined ex- of the camp. another club member stand ready with a
perimentally for each relay. Field Day soon arrived and passed. The fire extinguisher when the tank is
Our unit was built in a Bud 8 x 8 Y4 X generator output varied from 122to 128 V refueled-and don't refuel the generator
lOYl-inch cabinet, but there are no firm and 58 to 62 Hz during the contest alone, or when you're tired or sleepy.-
construction rules. A three-inch shelf inside (frequency changed in direct relation to the James J. Priestly, KAIL/K, ARRL PIA,
the box holds the relays. The rectifier diode output voltage), and the protector shut 55 Neshobe Rd, New Seabury, MA 02649
16. J/8'
Sheet-lolelol
Scre"
(6 Placu)
L1
114ar16
Sleel ar "'Iuminum VHf
Transceiver
-""""""""'' 1--1 Coax to Antenna 01
LMJ95
01
~--- c - - - - o j
1N914
or 1N4148
C,
0.1 ~F
., +13.8 V
Fig 2-Ooug DeMaw's hump mount keaps Ceramic 47 kO
a mobile rig In place with the help of sheet- 1/4 W
metal screws that prevent the mount and Ground
rig from sliding during speed changes and
turns. No dimensions are shown because Fig 4-Jay Hamlin's circuit senses coax RF leakage-and perhaps outside-of-shield
you'll nead to tailor the assembly to the currents-i-to drive a transistor that turns on a cooling fan. The text tells more about the
size of your car's floor hump. parts and what they do.
3-2 Chapler 3
found that even a tiny fan can cool a small FORD'S FIX FOR IN·TANK.FUEL. and a tiny switch. Then I built the circuit
radio. PUMP NOISE shown in Fig 5.
The circuit has other uses. For instance,
it could drive a TRANSMITTER ON indica-
o Having spent 23 years in the two-way- The LM317T regulator dissipates 2 or
radio field, and because I own a Ford 3 W in this application, so I mounted it on
tor to warn you that your mobile mike is
Taurus, I've seen the problem described by a heat sink (a 1- X 2-inch piece of 1/8·inch-
jammed between your car's seats with its thick aluminum). I wired CI, C2. Rl and
Jack Schuster ("Noise Cured in Ford
push-to-talk button held down. Or, com-
Taurus Mobile") many times. Caution: R2 of Fig 5 between the '317's pins and a
bined with a timer, it could serve as part The cure Jack describes may cause fires in two-terminal strip mounted on the heat
of a transmitter-time-out warning circuit. rare cases. Luckily, Ford offers a fix for sink. (No large filter capacitors are needed
-Jay F. Hamlin, WB6HBS, Capitola, the noise-a fix that must be handled and in this application because the input to the
California
installed by a Ford dealer. Have your dealer regulator is reasonably pure dc.) No fancy
BUILT·IN GRILLE EASES MOBILE· call Ford's RFI section at 313-323-2014 and installation for this module: I just dropped
SPEAKER MOUNTING ask for Mr. Pat Quinn; Quinn [Who's it into the case!
WD8JDZ, by the way!-WJJZI and the I used thin microphone cable for the de
o The first day I drove my new pickup dealer will take it from there. I have seen connection between the adapter and my
truck at work. I realized that my mobile rig these filters installed in over 100cars in the car's cigarette lighter, passing it out of the
needed an external speaker. After consider- past three years; when the filter is correctly adapter case through the hole formerly
ing places to hang one, I noticed two installed, the noise goes away. (This is not occupied by the battery-pack switch. At the
unused speaker grilles in the truck interior. only a Taurus problem; all Ford cars with cigarette-lighter end of the cable, I installed
(The truck's broadcast radio uses only the in-tank fuel pumps are affected. Ford's fix a fused lighter connector (Radio Shack no.
dash speakers, leaving an unused grille in . can be applied to all of them. The heater- 274-335) equipped with a 2-A, fast-blow
each back corner.) Positioned right about fan motor in some Ford cars also causes fuse. (Note: After I finished constructing
at ear level, they looked perfect for my noise; a Ford fix also exists for that. but the adapter, I realized that I could have left
application. I popped off the driver's-side I've been unable to determine Ford's the battery-pack charge connector in the
grille and found that it was made for a contact person for it. In most cases, the case and used a Radio Shack de power plug
4-x6-inch speaker. I drilled two mount- dealer can cure this noise by changing the [274-15691 on the adapter end of the 12-V
ing holes. fastened such a speaker in place heater-fan motor.) cable.)
with sheet-metal screws, and popped the Without the filter, fuel-pump noise in my Now, when I use the HT in the car, [ rest
grille back in place. My truck still looks Taurus was 10 dB over S9 from 160 my remaining battery pack and use the
exactly as it came from the factory, but through 15 m; with the filter, I can copy transceiver without having to worry when
now I can easily hear what's happening on S2 signals. In three years of mobile opera- its battery pack will run down! If this idea
the local repeater .-Michael K. Clemons,' tion I have worked 5BWAS, WAC and appeals to you and you don't have a
KE5NU, Rte I Box 2380, Warner, OK DXCC-and my country total from the defunct NiCd pack, obtain a BT-t or BT-3
74469 mobile now stands at 257. The filter battery case for the adapter and save your
NOISE CURED IN FORD TAURUS works!-Ronald E. Hesselbrock , NiCds. A note on noise: Using the
WA8LOW, Cincinnati, OH de-adapter-powered HT in conjunction
MOBILE with a magnetically mounted "rubber
o My 1987 Ford Taurus sedan generated A DC ADAPTER FOR HAND-HELD· duck" antenna, I've heard no spark plug
strong electrical noise at HF and weaker TRANSCEIVER MOBILING or alternator noise on transmit and receive
noise at VHF. Although the noise resem- o My Kenwood TR-2500's battery pack in the car.-Evan H. Boden, N3DEO,
bled ignition interference. it did not change wouldn't take a full charge: one of its cells Emporium, Pennsylvania
pitch with engine speed. I discovered that was reversed, and "zapping" the defective
the noise came from the car's electric fuel cell made no improvement. What to do MAGNETIC REED SWITCH
pump. Eliminating the noise was easy once with a dead NiCd pack? Turn it into a de ILLUMINATES HAND·HELD FOR
I determined how to accessthe pump power adapter for mobile use! With a pocket- MOBILE USE
leads. knife, I separated the halves of the battery- o Most manufacturers of our hand-held
The Taurus's fuel pump is mounted in- pack case. 1pulled out the cells, a PC board transceivers have (wisely) made the display-
side the car's fuel tank. The pump power
leads pass through the floor under the right
end of the rear bench seat. You can identify
the pump leads as heavy-gauge wires, one
red and one black. in a four-wire harness
that can be accessed by removing the bench
LM317T *
seat and lifting the carpet under the seat.
I eliminated the noise by carefully strip- +
I REG
our
I
+
ping short sections of the pump power leads I" AOJ -. • RI
and soldering a 0.47-pF, lOO-volt polyester-
film capacitor from lead to lead. (I also 12 V DC 0.1 JlF + : 240 n,
1/2 W
C, - ~~ 9 V DC
grounded the black lead by connecting it
to the car frame with about a foot of in-
IN
~::
TANTALUM
C\
.> R'
1500n.
>ov
TANTALUM
OUT
vertical much of the time! strongly of going to 2 meters!) and to the antenna. After figuring where
Some hams just surrender and work only With the help of Werner Dolder, the arm would attach to the roof rack, I
VHF/UHF mobile. More-persistent AA4IX, ] devised a solution to this prepared a PVC T to fit the roof rack by
MFIHF mobileers remain on the low problem. See Fig 6. A PVC-pipe arm, filing a flat on one side of the T for a closer
bands, guying their antennas with attached to my station wagon's roof rack, fit with the rack. To make this T more
monofilament fishing line or small- supports the Hustler at its fold-over point, resistant to the pressure of its mounting
diameter cord. (I tried this with my rear- holding the antenna vertical and im- bolts, I force-fit a pieceof smaller-diameter
fender-mounted Hustler mobile antenna. movable. PVC pipe through the T's cross bar and
It worked, but my wife disapproved of the I began constructing the support by care- glued it into the T. After the glue hardened,
3-4 Chapter 3
I drilled two mounting holes through the
T's cross bar-one near each of the cross- ve" BRASS TAPE
ELEMENT
TUBE
bar ends. I didn't have to drill holes in the ON WINDOW
car or the roof rack to mount this T to the
car: I just dropped two square nuts into the
5/32" BRASS
TUsE ///
roof-rack track and turned two stainless-
steel bolts through the PVC T into the nuts.
So far, so good!
Next, I glued a 45 0 PVC joint to the leg
of the T, with the angled joint pointing
WINDOW
back toward the antenna (Fig 7A). coNNEcr"COAXSHIELD EDGE
I reinforced a second PVC T by forcing TO WJNOOW:OftOuND,LIN£' HERE
3-6 Chapter 3
CHAPTER 4 = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Portable Stations _
MAKE YOUR OWN QRP CARRY-ALL
o One of the great things about QRP is
that it really opens up the possibility of go-
anywhere operation. Recently. I've been
taking my gear with me in style in my QRP Fig 1-00ug Slivison's QRP Carry-All is
Carry-All bag (Fig 1). Besides holding my just the thing for toting a compact, battery-
powered QRP station (below) into the
gear. it's a great way to ••fly the flag" sticks. Those ham-radia-related patches
because it displays the League diamond and aren't just for show: Especially on air trips,
a Michigan QRP Club patch. The Carry- their "Amateur Radio Spoken Here"
All makes a home construction project that message lets other traveling hams know
requires absolutely no debugging and no that another of their own is near.
test equipment!
An uncle in England gave me a British
school bag-similar to an American canvas
knapsack-that was just the right size for
my W7EL transceiver, battery box and
assorted portable-operation-materials kit
that I've assembled for my QRP ramblings.
I based the QRP Carry-All on this bag. The
assembly instructions? Simply dress it up
with a couple of patches I
You don't even need to sew. Acquire a
suitable bag or day pack. Then, using iron-
on adhesive (intended for hemming
garments, and available at fabric stores and
variety-store notions counters), apply ham-
radio-related patches to the bag. Such
patches are available from many sources;
ARRL sells an eye-catching ARRL-flag
patch, as well as ARRL-diamond patches
of two different sizes. The Society of Wire-
less Pioneers and other organizations also A CHEAP, CRUSHPROOF CARRIER
offer beautiful patches. FOR DXPEDITION ANTENNAS t/4 ~ HOLE THROUGH
4" DIAM pvc PIPE
When not toting a portable station, the o A recent trip to the Caribbean forced PIPE AND CAP
QRP Carry-All is also great for holding me to come up with an inexpensive solution
small hamfest purchases. Carried during air to transporting an antenna. A dipole and
travel, the bag invariably attracts the atten- coax fit nicely into a suitcase, but taking
tion of other traveling hams, who stop by a multiband trap vertical or small tribander
for conversation. Combined with my wind- requires a different arrangement.
breaker, which sports Society of Wireless Airlines seem to consider anything over
Pioneers patches, the QRP Carry-All has six feet long as oversized baggage, and
sparked many impromptu meetings.-Doug sometimes charge extra for special handling PVC END, CAP
Stivison, NRIA, 45 Norman Rd, Upper of such items. Ideally, then, a Dxpedition
Montclair, NJ 07043-1933 antenna should be less than six feet long,
broken down. If an antenna is shippable via Fig 2-K1 KI's crushproof carrier for
United Parcel Service, its longest compo- DXpedition antennas consists of less than
A TRAVEL CASE nent will be less than six feet long, but its $6 worth of PVC pipe, end caps and wire.
This drawing shows one end of the
o I transport my Kenwood TS-130S trans- shipping carton will not be suitable for assembly.
ceiver and accessories in a discarded type- travel on airport baggage trucks. (Watching
writer case. It came from a Smith Corona" of from my plane seat at a Caribbean airport,
mid-1960s vintage, and seems ideal. A I saw a cardboard box on a baggage truck caps on the pipe and drill two Y<!-inch holes,
"tricked-up" mount lets the TS-130 lock literally fall apart in the rain.) 180 0 apart, through the caps and pipe at
in place just as the typewriter did. Since the The solution to this problem, can be each end of the pipe. Pass no. 14 (or so)
case is much taller than the radio, I store found at your local building-supply store. steel wire through one of these assemblies
logs, connecting cables, a paddle key, Buy a lO-foot piece of 4-inch-diameter solid to secure the cap to the pipe. (See Fig 2.)
"homebrew" keyer and so on inside the (not slotted) PVC pipe and two end caps. (Once you've loaded your antenna into the
case with the radio.- Timothy N. Co/bert, Cut the pipe to the size you need (remember pipe, of course, you'll need to wire the
Burton, Ohio that 6-foot baggage limit!). Put the end other end shut, too.)
~
6 ft, but, having flown the Pacific carriers,
I caution that:
1) International flights generally accom-
modate only two pieces of baggage;
PLASTIC
2) Total dimensions of both pieces can- BLOCK
1."
not exceed 107 inches (width + height +
length); and
3) Neither of the two pieces can exceed 19- 1/4"
64 inches (so 6 Mft pieces are out). STUB
I use PVC-pipe antenna carriers on all (B) /
of my DXpeditions, and suggest using
6-inch OD pipe 52 inches long (for a total 16"
ALUMINUM
carrier length of 64 inches) to be safe. A
-,
FEED CLAMPS
CONNECT
~"I~
e-inch-Olj carrier can contain a three- SHIELD TO STUB
'"~~-
SECUR, SPOO' TO OR,"'N ,,'"'NT
piece of luggage. (You can remove
manufacturer's lettering from PVC pipe J.r- TO
XCVR
with acetone, by the way. Also, it may be »<
5/8" It
WOODEN MAST
5/8" II 20"
/0
I
•
DRILL FOR NO.8Ki"
BRASS WOOD SCREW
(A) NOTCHES - t/e" II. t/e"
3/S"
----11-
/
G
CLEARANCE
FOR NO.2 WOOD
HO~ES T"
I
.
t
SCREWS ..1..-
CLEARANCE HOLE
FOR NO.8 SCREW
CLEARANCE HOLE FOR 101
(8) NO.6 MACHINE SCREW E
I--- 2-1/04 "'--,f-I\---o~
V
Fig 5-The wire element of the Egg-Beater
Fig 4-Construction details of the mast (A), top mount (B), feed-point insulator (C) and antenna. Position the bends thusly: A to B.
lower element clips (D) of WA8ZVT's compact 1)., a-meter antenna. 10 in; B to C, 5 in; C to D, 5 in; D to E,
10.5 in; E to F, 10 in; F to G, 10.5 in; G to
H, 5 in; H to I, 5 in; I to J, 10 in; J to A, 10
in. The bends at points Hand C should fit
The antenna is not fed from the ball, up with the antenna shown in Figs 4 and the grooves in the top mount.
however, but with a separate feed line 5. It is small and provides both horizontally
attached to the stub with straps made of and vertically polarized radiation compo-
scrap aluminum. Vary the tap point on the nents. It is easy to build and small enough
stub until the best SWR is achieved (about to use in an apartment window. Try build- similar (ungrooved) square of lIS-inch-
2 inches up from the bottom on my ing one-it's great! thick scrap plastic for the top plate. [Mine
antenna). A 5/S·inch-square, 20-inch-long wooden was three layers of Jl8-inch plastic (glued
The reflector and director elements are mast supports the wire element. Notch the together) with the center layer composed
fastened to a 36-inch boom. Also connected mast and fabricate the top mount, clips and of four small squares arranged to hold the
to the boom is a small plywood yoke that feed-point insulator as shown in Fig 4. element.-Ed.] Use liS-inch scrap plastic
fits snugly into a spool mounted on the The top mount clamps curves C and H for the feed-point insulator and element
driven element. The parasitic elements of Fig 5. Cut lIS-inch-deep grooves into clips as well. Hole locations are not critical
easily clear the body of my compact, hatch- a 2-inch square of 'A-inch-thick Bakelite" in any of the antenna parts.
back car as the beam is rotated. for the lower plate of the mount and a Cut an S2-inch-Iong piece of aluminum
For emergency or portable operation, it
is easy to pull into a rest stop and attach
the boom to give your signal a significant
boost. It is a big help to work that distant
repeater or get back to the RACES control
N
station when far out in the field. The 1/8"1l5 BRASS OR ALUMINUM
antenna can be used on Civil Air Patrol (AI ROD
frequencies as well. It seems to operate well
from 146 to 148 MHz.-Jim Brenner.
NT4B. Ocala. Florida t/4" BRASS
OR ALUMINUM TUBE
A FULL·WAVE 2-METER ANTENNA N
4-3/8 - LONG PLASTIC SLEEVE
o In 1972, as the 2-meter band was ~~"-----:TO COVER t/8" ROD
becoming popular, I was looking for an NO. 6-32 SCREW
4·4 Chapter 4
CHAPTER 5 = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Construction
DESIGN HINTS
RESISTOR SUBSTITUTION however, the resistor will last longer if it is allowed
FOR BEGINNERS to dissipate no more than, say, 1/2 to 2/3 of that
power at room temperature. If the surrounding air
o While repairing an instrument that had will be warmer than room temperature, the resistor
a burned-out lO-kO, l-W resistor, I found should be derated further.
When specifying resistor power ratings, it's a
that I did not have a single replacement part good idea to choose the next higher value when
of that resistance and wattage. I did, your calculations suggest that a resistor may have
however, find two 5-kO, Y:z.-W resistors in to dissipate anything near its maximum rating. For
example, if your calculations indicate that a 2-W
my parts box. Wired in series, their resistor wilt dissipate 1.75 W in your circuit, use
resistance would total to kO-but would a S-W resistor instead. When replacIng a resistor,
they provide the necessary power dis- you need only duplicate the power rating of the
sipation? original part-unless your investigation reveals
that the original part was routinely overloaded to Fig 1-When W4LHH's roller inductor is
Using the formula P = PR, we can begin with! set for maximum inductance, the tongue on
solve for I to find that 10 rnA (0.010 A) the traveling contact switches in more tank
of current results in the dissipation of 1 W capacitance. See text.
in the to-kG resistor: A SIMPLIFIED FORMULA
FOR RESONANCE
I =~ ~ ~ IO,~OO = 0.01 A D The standard formula for calculating
the resonant frequency 'of an LC circuit is many photos of a 160-IO-meter amplifier
where he built himself. The photo shows the rear
P == power in watts Eq 1 end of the rig's output-network roller
I = current in amperes inductor. In Lew's circuit, l60-meter
R = resistance in ohms where operation requires full tank inductance and
Each of the 5-kO resistors must then f = frequency in hertz additional output capacitance. The three
dissipate L = inductance in henrys doorknob capacitors, right, provide this
P ~ 0.012 X 5000 = 0.5 W C = capacitance in farads capacitance. One end of the C-shaped
Yes, the two Y2-W, 5-kO resistors are a " ~ 3.14 metal strap immediately to the left of the
suitable substitute for the lO-kO, l-W doorknobs is common to the ungrounded
The arithmetic required for the solution of ends of the capacitors. The other end of the
resistor. this equation is difficult for people strap isn't connected to anything-yet.
Because the power dissipated in each unaccustomed to using powers of 10 in
resistor depends on current and resistance, Set the inductor into motion in your
their calculations because of the mixture of mind's eye. As the roller inductor reaches
this" Yz W + Yz W = I W" substitution very large numbers (f) and very small num-
is only valid for two resistors of equal maximum inductance (sliding contact
bers (L and C). Rewriting the equation in moving to the right), the tongue on the
resistance. If one were 7.5 ku and the other terms of practical units for f, Land C gives
2.5 kO, the larger resistance must dissipate inductor's traveling contact meets and lifts
us a formula that is easier to use: the C strap, connecting the doorknob
P = 0.01' X 7500 = 0.75 W f2 = 25,330 capacitors into the circuit. Now, inductance
Eq 2 is at maximum, capacitance has been added
This much power would overheat a Yz-W LC
and W4LHH's homemade amplifier is
resistor quickly. where ready to be tuned up on 160.-Ed.
A parallel combination of two 20-kO, f = freq uency in MHz
O.5-W resistors would also work as a L = inductance in microhenrys QUICK POWER SUPPLY FOR
substitute for a IO-kO, l-W resistor. I leave C = capacitance in picofarads 24- TO 28-VOLT RELAYS
the proof of this one to you! (Hint: In this
case, the current through each resistor is This is particularly useful when you know o Wanting to use a 28~V relay in a project
5 rnA, rather than 10 mA.)-Joe Rice, f and need to solve for L or C. If you know otherwise powered by a center-tap rectifier
W4RHZ, COVington, Kentucky Land C, and wish to solve for f, rewrite and three-terminaI12-V regulator, I came
the equation this way: up with the circuit shown in Fig 2. Two
Editor's Note: W4'RHZ has taken proper care to additional diodes furnish a negative voltage
refer only to resistor substitution in his hint and 25,330
not resistor specification. In his substitution of two LC Eq 3 approximately equal in magnitude to the
"seriesed" 5-kO, Y2-W resistors for a to-kn, l-W f2 regulator'S positive supply. The potential
unit, Joe makes the safe assumption that the difference between the two supplies is
equipment designer's specification of a l-W resis- Equations 2 and 3 can be done on the
tor was sound. Joe's replacement of a 1-W resistor simplest of calculators-even in your head about right for powering 24- to 28-V relays.
with two 1/2-W resistors of equal value should do in some cases!-Melvin Leibowitz, W3KET If the resulting voltage is too high, use a
the trick, assuming that the cause of failure of the dropping resistor or try moving the positive
1-W resistor has been identified and cleared. (SK)
end of the relay to the output of the positive
Ohm's Law and the power formula don't give
us the last word in resistor specification because regulator (if there is one in your circuit).
sound engineering practice dictates that power- ROLLER-INDUCTOR SLIDER Two warnings: (1) Both ends of the relay
dissipating components be derated-run at levels SWITCHES OUTPUT CAPACITANCE solenoid, and any associated switching
significantly below their maximum ratings-as a
matter of routine. On paper, a SOW resistor is o Lew Howard, W4LHH, Stone lines, must be kept above ground to avoid
capable of dissipating 5 Waf power. In practice, Mountain, Georgia, submitted Fig 1 among short-circuiting the secondary of the power
Construction 5-1
transformer. (2) This circuit cannot be used
o , with a full-wave bridge power supply.
r-'-'-'- -------l!+-t--t---- ----1 ;';; t----- , - Wally Boller, W90BG, Cheyenne,
----l~
II
- I,II -;
I L
, "T"
I;-h
I '
Wyoming
LED OVERVOLTAGE INDICATOR
_____ II - FOR ZENER-DIODE PROTECTIVE
L ____ CLAMPS
-- ___ ~--J 24-TO 28-V
RELAY
o Zener diodes, either singly or in series.
are sometimes connected across the output
,~ of an RF power amplifier transistor to pro-
tect the device from overvoltage. So used,
'''' they clamp the overvoltage-caused by
ADDED
DIODES impedance mismatches, parasitic oscilla-
I~ tions or operator error-to the value deter-
,~
mined by the diode. An LED connected in
series with a Zener clamp provides a visual
Fig 2-Two diodes add a negative 12-V supply to the positive 12-V power supply shown indication of current flow in the clamp cir-
here. The potential difference between the two supplies can be used to power 24- to 28-V cuit, thus warning that overvoltage is
de relays. The PIV rating of the added diodes should be equal to or greater than that of
the diodes In the existing supply; the current rating of the added diodes should be occurring in the protected circuit.
sufficient to handle the current drawn by the relay, plus a safety factor. In this drawing, When adding an LED to a Zener clamp
relay switching is omitted for clarity, and the components of the original 12-V supply are circuit, add the LED's forward voltage
shown In gray. This hint will not work with a positive supply that uses a full-wave bridge drop (1.6 to 4) to the Zener diode voltage
rectifier; see text. to obtain the approximate clamping level.
For example, four 15-V Zener diodes
(DI-D4 in Fig 3A) connected in series
across the output of an IRF511 power
MOSFET (Ql, VDS = 60) should ade-
quately protect the device if each diode's
actual Zener voltage does not exceed 15.
(Remember also a given diode's actual
Zener voltage may fall within ± 10"10 of the
marked value.) The voltage drop added by
D1 15 V an LED might push the clamp circuit's con-
duction threshold voltage far enough over
D2 15 V the IRF511 's maximum voltage rating to
DB allow transistor destruction before the LED
D3 15 V
begins to glow. In this situation, a single
60 V
D. '5 V
50-V Zener in series with the LED would
be a wiser choice. (In any case, keep the
lA) (a) diodes' leads short, lest your protective cir-
cuit itself cause instability.)
Fig 3-Sherman Lovell adds an LED indicator (05) to a Zener-diode (01-04) protective When you first apply power to the cir-
clamp as shown at A. An LED open-circuit failure would disconnect the protective cuit, do so carefully. Bring up supply volt-
diode(s), though, so Sherman suggests the circuit at B as an alternative: 08 protects 01 if age and RF drive slowly while watching the
06 opens. The voltage ratings shown for 01-04, 07 and 08 are for illustration purposes LED and monitoring circuit current. LEDs
only. At 01-04 and 07, use dioda(s) equal in total voltaga and dissipation ratings to the can typically dissipate 75 to 100mW; this
diode(s) replaced. OS's dissipation rating should equal that of the diode(s) replaced; see equates to forward currents no higher than
text for its voltage rating.
about 80 or 90 rnA.
Snag: LED failure in Fig 3A disconnects
the Zener diodes(s) and removes transistor
protection when it's most needed. Fig 3B
+v presents a safer, though more complex, al-
ternative: Connect a second Zener diode
(D8), one with a slightly higher voltage
rating than D7, in parallel with D6-D7. If
D6 fails open, D8 protects the transis-
tor .-Sherman M. Lovell. WY7F, 4722
15th Ave NE #9, Seattle, WA 98105
'"""r---v-3
DOUbMl~
SERIES-RESONANT CIRCUIT
ENHANCES DESIRED SIGNAL IN
QRP RIG
o During cut-and-try construction of a
QRP CW rig that uses push-push doubling
to produce 14-MHz drive from a 7-MHz
VFO, I discovered that the stages following
Fig 4-Bob Kuehn added this 14-MHz series-resonant circuit (l1Cl) to clean up the out- the doubler had output everywhere except
put of a push-push doubler in his homemade ORP transmitter. L1 consists of 44 turns of 14 MHz! I solved this problem by installing
no. 24 enameled wire on a T-68-2 powdered-iron toroidal core. Cl is a small air~dieleetric a series-resonant tuned circuit between the
capacitor capable of being set to about 11.5 pF.
doubler and its buffer stage (Fig 4). I have
5·2 Chapter 5
also successfully used series-resonant transmit and receive audio problems CHARACTERIZING DIODES AT LOW
circuits between the antenna and output (distortion and hum) until I bypassed each APPLIED VOLTAGES
stages of monoband rigs to minimize TVI. of the power supply's diodes with 0.01, 0.1
(By the way, I first submitted something and I-p:F capacitors. The Tenna Phase III
o For many years, the ARRL Handbook
for Hints and Kinks in 1932, but QST has featured a diode probe suitable for
power supply does not include ac-line
didn't publish that hint. I have since measuring RF voltages down to the mil-
bypassing; connecting capacitors from hot
recovered from my feeling of rejection and livolt level. The accuracy and sensitivity of
to neutral, and from hot and neutral to
decided to try again!)-Bob Kuehn, ground, did not solve the problem. such probes has been the subject of prior
W6HKF, 1871 Silver Bell Rd, Apt 313, investigations in Hints and Kinks; I
SWR-related RF feedback seems to cause
Eagan, MN 55122 generally, however, it's safe to say that the
the problem. I speculate that RF is recti-
sensitivity of such probes is determined by
fied and superimposed as AF on the power
HOW CAPACITORS CURE HUM the junction-barrier voltage of the probe
supply's de output; I arrived at this con-
FROM POWER·SUPPLY DIODES: diode. The lower the junction-barrier volt-
clusion by observing that the superimposed
ONE EXPLANATION age, the higher the probe sensitivity.
voltage increases with SWR.
From the standpoint of RF probe
AK7M: In an editor's note appended to Michael Like the tCOM IC-735 and Kenwood sensitivity, germanium diodes are better
Dees's "Bypass Capacitors Cure Power-Supply TS-430S, the HW-5400 contains a step-
Noise" (p 10-7), I described how I'd cured a than silicon diodes for the Handbook RF
tuned PLL VFO.-John W. Gallagher, PE,
hum-on-received-signalsproblem by bypassing probe because the barrier voltage of a
K4GXY, 411 S Elm Rd, Lakeland, FL 33801
the rectifier diodes in a transceiver power germanium PN junction (about 0.3) is
supply. Here's one ham's response to my re- lower than that of its silicon counterpart
quest for an explanation of this phenomenon: DON'T BE FOOLED BY TALKING (0.7). Because junction-barrier voltage may
CAPACITORS vary from unit to unit among diodes of a
o The hum phenomenon described by o Plugged into the ae line at a Glastonbury, given type, it's worthwhile to grade pros-
N3EZD and the editor was well known in Connecticut, location, a power supply pective probe diodes in terms of barrier
medium-wave radios built in the 1930s. The emitted acoustic energy that sounded like voltage. Diodes intended to be used in RF
hum occurs when amplitude-modulated RF line noise coming over an AM radio. At probes should be tested at an applied
enters the receivermixer stage via two paths: first, I suspected arcing in the power trans- voltage much lower than the junction-
(I) Energy from the short antenna enters the former (or. more fantastically, one of the barrier voltage. This is so because low-level
mixer via the receiver RF stage; (2) the pow- surplus filter chokes in the supply), but a RF measurements depend on the occur-
er line, working as an antenna. also supplies bit of directional listening with a cardboard rence of diode conduction at applied
RF to the radio via more or less uncontroll- tube revealed that the sound was coming voltages in the millivolt region. (Some
able paths (by means of conduction and from the supply's bridge-rectifier forward current flows through a diode at
stray capacitance). The power-line- components! applied voltages somewhat below the
conducted RF is amplitude-modulated at the The sound changed character when I junction-barrier level; how much current
line frequency and its harmonics in the used a plastic tool to push on any of the flows at a given applied voltage varies from
power-supply rectifiers. which act as modu- disc-ceramic capacitors bypassing the diode to diode.) Fig 5 shows a simple means
lators. bridge diodes. I turned off the supply, of characterizing diodes at applied voltages
Strong signals cause the receiver unplugged it, and made sure its filter capa- of this magnitude.
automatic gain control to reduce the RF- citors were discharged. Then I removed the To characterize a diode at a forward
amplifier gain. reducing the level of signal bypass capacitors and powered up the current of 0.1 ~A (for example), set the
that reaches the mixer via Path 1, whereas supply. The noise was gone! voltmeter (in my case, an FETVOM) to
the hum-modulated RF from Path 2 How could this be? Albert Helfrick's read 10 mV at full scale, install a IOO-kll
remains nearly unaffected and becomes the "Microphonics in Capacitors" (Technical resistor at R SH ' and adjust the power
dominant input signal at the mixer. Correspondence, QST, June 1984, p 42) supply to indicate 10 mV on the voltmeter.
The cheapest way to avoid this effect is provides a clue: The ceramic dielectrics of (According to Ohm's Law [I ~ E .;- RI,
to short-circuit the "modulator" diodes for some capacitors exhibit piezoelectric the diode current is 0.1 ~A [0.01 V divided
RF with capacitors. Indeed, many I930s- properties, generating electricity in response by 100 kill.) To find the forward voltage
vintage radios had bypass capacitors in to vibration. To AI's discussion I add that at which the diode conducts the calculated
parallel with their rectifier tubes. Such capa- because piezoelectricity often works both current, subtract the voltage drop across
citors must be able to withstand considera- ways, a capacitor that produces electricity R SH (10 mV in this case) from the voltage
ble high-voltage stress. During WW II, and in response to mechanical stress may be
for a period after the war (when capacitors able to transduce electrical into mechanical "See S, Mann, "Match Your RF Probe to Your
Meter," Hints and Kinks, OST, May 1985,
were in short supply), radio repair person- energy. The ceramic diode-bypass capaci- pp 44-45, and G. Hardman, F. Swan and J.
nel cured the problem of a destroyed tors in my power supply-O.OI-~F, l-kV Kronvich, "RF Probes Revisited," Hints and
Kinks, OST, Mar 1986, PP 47-48. The three
rectifier-bypass capacitor by just removing discs-had acted as piezoelectric speakers, pieces that constitute "RF Probes Revisited"
it from the radio. The radio owner had to emitting line-noise transients as acoustical also appear on PP 7-7 and 7-8 of the 12th edi-
tolerate the resulting hum. (Our radio lan- noise! tion of Hints and Kinks for the Radio Amateur.
guage adopted a new word in those days: Thinking back, I realize that this effect
Blinddarmkandensator [literally, must have caused the occasional buzzes and
"appendix-capacitor.' ']) ticks I'd heard coming from the supply
Diode Under Test
The better way to solve this hum problem when it was plugged into quieter ac at a
is to RF-filter the power supply input and Newington location-and of similar noises
output leads, and to shield the line(s) emitted by several other power supplies, in-
O-'000~
0-1 V
Metered R"
between the power supply and receiver. cluding a Yaesu FP-757HD used in an
Supply
-Helmut Zurneck, DL4FBI, Riuerstrasse ARRL product review, at various locations
26, 6110 Dieburg, West Germany over the years. (Once-chagrin speaks-I
even replaced the power transformer con-
And K4GXY used power-supply-diode bypass cerned because I thought it was the source
capacitors to solve another RF-related Fig 5-George Klaus characterizes diodes
of the noise.) Now I know that power- below their junction-barrier potential with
problem:
supply ticking and buzzing beyond normal this setup. The power supply must be
o My Heath@ HW -5400 transceiver and transformer noise do not necessarily indi- capable of stable, voltage-metered output
Tenna Phase III power supply had bad cate defective components.-AK7M from 0 to 1 V or so. See text.
Construction 5·3
9006 and 559. These work perfectly up past . inaudible with a 100kHz Lo/slgnal spacing.
Table 1
432 MHz and can be built into a short sec- -Denton Bramwell, K70WJ, St Joseph,
Two Diodes Compared tion of transmission line; if the line is flat, Michigan
Forward the peak power on the line can easily be SCHOTTKY DIODES DO IMPROVE
Current Test Voltage (mV) R SH computed from the diodes' voltage output. PRODUCT-DETECTOR
(pA) 1N270 1N914 (Ill -Harold Isenring, W9BTI, 10850 Amy PERFORMANCE-BUT WHAT
1000 380 814 10 Belie Rd, Colgate, WI 53017 ABOUT AM DETECTION?
100 202 625 100
10 122 538 1k
REDUCING AM DETECTION IN o In November 1984 Hints and Kinks, the
1 60 470 10 k DIRECf-CONVERSION RECEIVERs Rev Doug Millar, K6JEY, described how
0.1 15 405 100 k o While building equipment for the 40M and he replaced the IN60 point-contact diodes
0.Q1 1.2 340 1M 30-meter bands, I discovered that AM detec- in a TS-830S product detector with
0.001 o 271 open tion is a common problem in DMC receivers. Schottky mesh diodes. 3 I recently made
0.0001 o 235 open I used a singly balanced, four-diode detector this modification to my Kenwood TS-820
followed by 8S dB of audio gain and a con- transceiver and want to add my enthusias-
ventional RC active filter with additional
tic endorsement.
indicated on the power-supply voltmeter. gain. When the receivers were completed,
both would detect any AM signals above Rebalancing the product detector is
Table 1 lists the results of tests on one about 200 p,V in level. This is a problem simple. Connect an oscilloscope to the
IN914 (silicon) diode and one IN270 because there are many such signals in the '820's rear-panel IFOUT connector. Set the
(germanium) diode. Similar comparisons neighborhood of our 30- and 4O-meter bands. scope sensitivity to 50 mV /div. With the
among germanium diodes can be made to I went to some lengths to decouple and '820's RF GAIN control at minimum, adjust
find the best diode for an RF probe, or shield each receiver's La, and to provide RF trimmer potentiometer VR3 and trimmer
to match diodes for special purposes. decoupling between the detector and the audio capacitor TC5 (both near the product-
-George H. Klaus, W2CJN, 140 Mill amplifier. Neither of these changes made any detector diodes on the IF board) for mini-
Dam Rd, Box T, Centerport, NY improvement.
Oscilloscope display of the detected AM mum deflection on the scope.-Dick A.
1172/-O619 Mack, W6PGL, Santa Cruz, California
signal showed an interesting peculiarity: At
DIODES FOR RF PROBES the receiver input, most signals exhibited
symmetrical noise-but the detected AM
o Concerning the Hints and Kinks item signals showed only negative-going noise.
"RF Probes Revisited" (March 1986 QS1), This led me to suspect that the detection was 3D. Millar, "Diode-Ring Product Detectors," OST, Nov
1984, pp 55-56.
I have a few comments regarding the RF actually taking place in the audio amplifier.
sampler shown in Fig 3 on page 48 of that Further, working with a receiver with no Editor's Note: Many hams use their general-
issue. The I N4007 power diode used-in the front-end selectivity, I found that sensitivity coverage transceivers for shortwave broadcast
sampler is a poor choice for an RF rectifier to AM detection decreased with increasing reception and listening to WWV and CHU, and
separation between LO and AM signal fre- this often means using an AM envelope (signal
because of its relatively slow reverse re- rectification) detector. What about replacing a
quencies. This strengthened my hunch.
covery rate- (t rr): around 30 JlS. At radio I solved the problem by-installing a passive radio's AMdetector diode with a Schottky diode
frequencies, the I N4007 cannot clear out of some type? The Rev Millar's 1984 H & K item
L-network filter, with-a bandwidth of several sparked controversy on this question inshortwave
its minority carriers in time to operate hundred hertz, between the detector and the listening circles to such a degree that a number
properly on the next cycle of the applied audio amplifier. I used a design similar to that of shortwave equipment dealers now offer a
signal. shown in Fig 12 on p 77 of Solid State Design Schottky-diode AM detector modification for some
for the Radio Amateur with good results. receivers.
A somewhat better choice for an RF- In the February1986Canadian International OX
probe rectifier would be one of the silicon With the filter installed, the modulation on Club Messenger, Technical Talks editor Don
fast-recovery diodes used in the TV indus- AM signals of several thousand Jl. V is Moman, VE8BOO, wrote of modifying his ICOM
try. These silicon diodes, used to rectify RF
ac (at 15.734 kHz in standard TV power
supplies), may have a PIV rating as high
as 1.5 k and a t rr of around 1 p.s.
Some catalogs list. high-voltage, fast- D1
recovery diodes that have a t rr of 0.2 us. T1 ,-----Jl+_--,
Such diodes are suitable for use at frequen-
cies up to 250 kHz-certainly better than
.....- .....----<:l + 3000 II
the power-line-frequency speed of the
IN4007! A 0.2-JLs diode is worth trying in D2 +
C1
an RF probe. (By the way, I cross-
referenced the in-house part number of a
typical fast-recovery, TV-power-supply
diode in a semiconductor reference guide
.,
published by a well-known electronics METER CALIBRATE
chain. The recommended replacement was
a IN4007 equivalent! Such a diode would PROTECTION THRESHOLO .2
10 J1. lkJ1.
rectify poorly, if at all, in an RF-driven 10 W 50 PIV
portion of a TV or VOT power supply.) D'
Incidentally, I've had great results using
I•• '000 I ~
-
~ --7 +lDV
". ".
'm
w.
r
I
I
I
---------- ,
1.~-3.0 MH!
l:
I
050
.IGo:!....
"0
n- '5'
'0'
BUFFER
I -0
"0 .r;
,o~
"
OUTPUT)
\8k 0 .ls
..
ca
I
I
'~'J: ct ~.,
200
rh p,to,
~~
TRIMMER I s
I I
£~O2 ,
INDUCTOR
I I 82 L" 2 CUTOFF
,'N:z-
I I IN'I1'1B
~~ e ::- BIAS
I ~.fl
'N-'J -
rr'
3 , 0.001
oe.
TUNING
V r.
'--<
m BOTH TUBES·
57'19/6BA6W;
3 ,
°
H
COMMON
INDUCTO~
>- BOTH TRANSISTORS,
'10673 rh
rh
I c TUBE
HEATERS
I , "0
HEATER
THERMOSTAT
'-
Fig 9-Schemati? of the MOSF.ETiz.ed !-1~5 VFO. ~dded components are shown in heavier lines, Although vacuum tubes and trensrs-
tors are shown Simultaneously m this ctrcutt for clarity, the tubes must be removed for proper operation of the VFO after transistors have
b.een inst~t1ed. Th~ 610-pF capacitor in the V801 grid circuit actually consists of a 580- and three 1Q·pF capacitors; it is shown as a
sinqle Unit for clarity. Jl mates with an Amphenol 126-192 connector. When vacuum tubes are used in the VFO, pin B of Jl allows the
application of cutoff bias to the suppressor grid of V802 during receive periods. See text.
5-6 Chapter 5
If you have a 200-mA de supply that can this supply voltage, the VFO's output is the '4416 generally better than the MPF102
furnish this voltage [25.2 V is optimum about I V P-P into a high-impedance load. if you want more power output. The best
because the tube heaters are connected in The output waveform is rich in harmonics commonly available JFET for lots of VFO
series], you can replace the 5749/6BA6Ws because it is more like a series of pulses output is the 2N5486, which has an I DSS
with 12BA6s and run the VFO at 25.2 V than a sine wave. range of 8 to 20 rnA.
de.') The MOSFETized T-195 VFO is very It's important to keep another rule of
Most of the T-195 VFO's volume is stable. When set to 3 MHz (and operating thumb in mind: Oscillator frequency
occupied by a sealed cylindrical housing at a regulated supply voltage of 10), the stability generally decreases as power out-
that contains the oscillator tuned circuit. VFO drifted 16 Hz in the first 10 minutes put increases. If you're willing to sacrifice
The two VFO tubes, and most of their after warm-up. During the next 40 minutes, VFO output for greater frequency stability,
associated circuitry. ace contained in a the VFO drifted an additional 10 Hz. The the 2N5484 (I DSS of I to 5 rnA) and
small subassembly in front of the tuned- output frequency changed 10 Hz as the 2N5485 Uoss of 4 to 10 rnA) are good
circuit housing. Removing the hexagonal supply voltage was varied between 8.8 and choices.
screw on the front of the housing-between 9.6; adjusting the supply over the 9.6- to By the way, the resistance of the JFET
the two tubes-gives access to the slotted 12.1-V range resulted in a frequency change channel is a good relative indicator of
shaft of the VFO frequency-trim inductor. of only 1 Hz. device loss. With this in mind, you can
(Do not open the housing if you can avoid Mechanically, the T-195 VFO is very grade your JFETs for VFO power output
it; a key factor in Collins' achievement of smooth: Equipped with a 21,.4-inch-diam merely by measuring their channel
short- and long-term stability in these knob, it can be adjusted to within 20 Hz resistance (source to drain) with a DMM.
oscillators is the hermetic protection of the of a desired frequency. With patience, it (Caution: The measuring instrument you
VFO's frequency-determining components can be set to within I Hz. (My VFO exhibits use must not apply a destructively large
against temperature and humidity varia- a slight mechanical bumpiness or backlash, current to the device under test.) Generally,
tions. Once you break the hermetic seal, and seems to "prefer" settings at 10- to the lower the channel resistance of a given
that protection is lost.) 20-Hz intervals. This may be caused by the device, the more power output it will
Fig 9 shows the schematic of the cams used to linearize its tuning.') furnish as a VFO.-Zock Lou, KH6CP,
modified T-195 PTO. Components added -Peter Traneus Anderson, KCIHR, 990 ARRL Laboratory Engineer
to replace the tubes with MOSFETs are Pine St, Burlington, VT 05401
A DlODE·BASED QRP TR SWITCH
drawn with heavy lines. The MOSFETs are AK7M: I've had similar success in
wired to the tube sockets. The IN4148 MOSFETizing a Collins 70E-B permeability- o After purchasing Doug DeMaw's QRP
diode (a IN914 is also suitable) replaces the tuned oscillator (PTO): After a warm-up drift Notebook." I built a QRP transceiver.
cathode-grid diode of the oscillator tube of a few Hz, it stays within 1.5 Hz of its set fre- Finding a suitable TR-switch circuit was
(V801). The 10- and 18-kll gate-2 resistors quency for hours on end. difficult: The circuits I tried seemed to ex-
A note of caution regarding the T-195 VFO hibit one weakness or another, including
serve as counterparts to the screen-grid (Collins nomenclature, 70H-3) was sounded by
dropping resistors of the 5749/6BA6Ws.' Don Chester, K4KYV, in "Collins Stabilityfor loss (evident as poor receive sensitivity or
The 40673s have higher transconductance Under $10," The AM Press/Exchange, June reduced transmitter output power), un-
than the 5749/6BA6W tubes, and draw 1987: "Never attempt to tune the PTO all the desirably sharp selectivity in the receiver-
more supply current. The 390-0 resistors way to either extreme end of its tuning range. input band-pass filter, complexity, too
There is no mechanical stop on the much power consumption for battery
in the MOSFET drains offset these mechanism, and if the tuning shaft is turned
differences. operation, or harmonic generation. Doug
beyond the limits of its intended frequency
I operated the MOSFETized VFO from range, permanent damage will be done to the and other builders may wish to try the TR
a well-regulated IO-V, 7-mA supply (yes, mechanism that moves the powdered iron slug switch I devised. Fig 10 shows the circuit.
this low current requirement signifies that in and out of the oscillator coil .... If the shaft During receive, Dl and D2 are biased on.
I don't use the VFO's oven feature!). At is turned far enough that you begin to feel (The output winding of the transmitter-PA
resistance to further motion, permanent output transformer, and the input winding
damage has already been done." Don adds of the receive transformer, serve as dlc
that this problem is compounded when a
reduction drive is used: By the time you feel returns for Dl and D2, respectively. RF
1Another approach to retubingone of theseVFOs
for lower-voltageoperation might be to replace the 70H-3's end-at-travel resistance through chokes and blocking capacitors could serve
the 5749/6BA6Ws with 12EA6 (remote cutoff) a reduction drive, it's much later than you think! this purpose in another application.) In
or 12EK6 (sharp cutoff) pentodes , transmit, Dl and D2 are biased off, isolat-
(5749/6BA6WS are remote-cutofftubes, so the ADJUSTING THE POWER OUTPUT
12EA6 would probably be the better replace- OF JFET VFOS ing the receiver from the antenna. The
switch affords good isolation at 7 MHz.
ment.) These tubes have 12.6-V, 19D-mA
heaters, and were designed to operate at o The output of a JFET VFO is deter- I connected the circuit on the antenna
plate/screen voltages of 12.6 (absolute mined largely by the device standing side of the transmitter-output low-pass
maximum, 16)in "hybrid" (tube-and-transistor) current-the JFET's drain current with de
auto broadcast radios. Assuming that 12EA6s filter; installed on the PA side of the filter,
worked properly with no other circuit changes,
bias applied and ae feedback removed. In the switch caused noticeable received-signal
a "12EA6ed" VFO would require, say, 12.6 V many VFO designs, this is equivalent to loss. Even though no low-pass filtering
for its plates and screens, and 25.2 V for its IDss-the zero-gate-voltage drain current. follows the switch, it produces no harmonic
heaters. Wiring the 12EA6 heaters in parallel Generally. the relationship between loss
would allow them to be operated at 12.6 V as TVI because Dl and D2 are biased off
well. Current drain during all-12.6-V operation and oscillator output is simple: The higher during transmit.
of the VFO would be considerably higher than the device loss, the greater the VFO DI and D2 are IN914s; they seem to
that of a "40673ed" unit, of course:two 12EA6s output.
require 380 mA at 12.6 V just to heat their work well at QRP (5 W or less). To
cathodesl12EAGs and 12EK6sare availableas
According to the Motorola Small-Signal minimize current drain, I chose Rl to pass
"new old stock" from Antique Electronic Transistor Data book, loss for the the least diode bias current that did not
Supply.-AK7M popular MPF102 can fall anywhere within noticeably decrease receiver sensitivity. (If
8Nonetheless, it's imponant to keep in mind that the wide range of 2 to 20 rnA. This wide
gate 2 of a MOSFET is not the solid-state you don't intend to use the circuit in a
equivalent of a vacuum tube's screen grid. A loss specification explains why some VFO battery-powered rig, you can use a smaller
screen grid can function as a control element builders have good luck with the MPF102
or an anode; a MOSFETgate can function only and others build MPF102 VFOs that
as a control element. That screens and gate 2s
are commonly operated at fixed positive
deliver less output than that claimed for the
voltages lower than those applied to their asso- circuit involved. The "premium" 2N4416 9D. DeMaw, QRP Notebook (Newington: ARRL,
ciated anodes is coincidence.-AK7M has an loss range of 5 to 15 rnA, making 1986).
Construction 5-7
value at Rl.) Cl charges to the negative
peak of the transmitter RF-output voltage
during transmit. QI and CI must be able
0' 02 to withstand this voltage without break-
to de Qround Ihrouoh to de oround Ihrouoh
low - pon -lilter inductor.
down; keep this in mind if you try to
RX input Iran,former
and TX oulput Iron,former redesignthis circuit for higher power levels.
(As a side benefit, a high-impedance volt-
IIOFC1 meter connected between Q 1's collector
and ground provides an indication of
power output during transmit.) D3 ensures
012.7 en that QI turns off during transmit. RFCI's
value is not critical; I used an uncharac-
terized choke from my junk box.
Control the switch carefully. My trans-
C1 ceiver supplies a receiver control voltage
100 P:..:J=, that is properly sequenced during keying;
assuming that you are keying about + 12 V
to ground, you may be able to connect the
01 CONTROL VOLTAGE terminal directly to the
2N3906 key in your application. Some delay on key
0' CONTROL VOLTAGE up might be desirable. however. to ensure
(+9 V on rlClive,
0.6 V or I...
that the receiver remains isolated from the
27 en 1N9t4 on transmit) antenna until the transmitter actually stops
transmitting.-Ronatd Carr, WAIVGB,
RRI Box I23S-A, South China, ME043S8
A FAST-ATTACK AGC SYSTEM
Fig 10-Ronald carr reports success in using this TR switch in a battery-powered, 7-MHz FORQSK CW
QRP transceiver. See the text for a discussion of component values. o A recently constructed CW transceiver
used a fast TR system, running nearly at
QSK rates. An AGC system with an attack
+12 v
fast enough to follow the data extremes was
needed. The resulting circuit is shown in
100 Fig II.
IF Amplifier The signal-path IF amplifier, VI, is an
Ul
MC1J50P
MC1350P. The 910-0 input resistor
.parallels the input resistance of the IC to
120
2 provide a 700-0 termination for the
3.58 MHz Cl 3.5S-MHzcrystal filter used in the receiver.
from Crystal H 4
C 1 is the crystal-filter output capacitor.
Filter
910 INPUTS OUTPUTS Two outputs are available from U1: One,
6 B from pin 8, is transformer-coupled to the
.c, product detector. The other comes from a
5
NO
'" Except as indicated, decimal
low-resistance load attached to pin I. This
+12 V o~ values of capacitance ore
in microfarads (,uF); olhers
ore in picofarads (pF);
drives VZ, a second MC1350P, the output
RJ 22 k
+12 V resistances ore in ohms; of which is applied to QI, a PNP low-gain
10 k OJ k= 1,000. amplifier. Q I sets the de output level (Eo)
IF GAIN lN4152!l to about 3 volts. (Eo can be adjusted, if
R4 04 required, by changing the value of RI. VZ's
100 gain can be set at pin 5 by a duplicate
4.7 k
0.01 R3/R4 gain-control network; as shown, its
AGe IF gain is maximum.)
Amplifier O~ 4JO 430 470 Eo establishes the de operating condi-
U2 MC1350P
tions for U3, and, ultimately, for pin 5 of
4
V I, the IF-amplifier AGC input. Eo is
+12 V " 01
applied, after processing, to the U3's
2NJ906
INPUTS OUTPUTS
AGe IF inverting and non-inverting inputs. DI is
100 6 B
Ace Ne GND
Amplifier forward biased by current flow through RZ.
The rectified IF sample appears at pin 3 of
UJ O.O~
CAJ140
J Ne 01 1N4152
R2
rL
AGe C2 1 jJ.F
DC Amplifier- 1.5 M Fig 11-The decay time of this IF-derived
Cl:!romic aSK AGC system is set by R2 and C2;
U3 pins not values as high as R2 = 6.8 MO and C2 =
1.5M lOOk
shown ore 10 JlF have been used at AK7M without
unused. noticeably slOWing the attack time. T1
02 AGC Detector/Timing ~O., consists of (primary) 15 turns of no. 28
enameled wire on an FT-37-43 toroidal
lN4152
ferrite core and (secondary) 3 turns of
no. 28 enameled wire over the primary.
5-8 Chapter 5
Fig 12-The AGC circuit as applied to The
1990 ARRL Handbook 10- and la-MHz
receiver (after adding a second MC1350P, U,
IF Amplifier
Con.tructlon 5·9
TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
MAKING BOXES FROM PC BOARD
o As the uncontested expert staff circuit-
board-box builder, I've accumulated sever-
al ideas toward making the ultimate RF
module out of copper-clad, glass-epoxy
board.
Idea I: Use thin strips of board with
tapped screw holes to hold box covers in
place (Fig 13). Although tapped glass-
epoxy board is not as strong as plated steel
hardware, it can hold screws securely. I've
never stripped the threads in any of my
projects. (If I did, I'd just retap the stripped
hole[s] with a larger tap size.) You can eas-
ily move strips to accommodate misplaced
holes; for really misplaced holes, make new
strips.
Fig l3-Zack Lau holds covers on PC-board boxes using tapped cross strips.
Idea 2: Build the box with an inset bot-
tom cover-in effect, a partition (Fig 14).
Leave at least t,4 inch between the partition Drilled, Topped
and box bottom and install tapped strips Mounting Strip
for mounting. This technique can help ther- Fig 14-lnsetting
the box bottom
mally isolate temperature-sensitive circuitry cover provides
(VFOs and so on), allows a variety of thermal insulation
chassis-mounting techniques, and seems to between circuitry
waste less volume than other techniques. Inset in the box and the
Bottom mounting surface
Idea 3: It's easy to mount connectors
that need D-shaped holes, like some BNCs, beneath it, and
makes room for
to the solderable walls of circuit-board fasteners that
boxes. Just drill a round hole of the right protrude through
diameter and solder a wire across it to form the mounting
the 0 (Fig 15).-Zachary Lou, KH6CP, surface. This is a
ARRL Lab Enginner bottom view.
5·10 Chapter 5
USE IC SOCKETS TO PRESERVE DOUBLE-STICK TAPE KEEPS COIL photographic film. Wind a coil of solder
PLUG-IN BREADBOARDS WINDINGS IN PLACE to the appropriate size using a screwdriver
o Fig 17 shows an inexpensive DIP socket o Before I began rewinding a coil for my handle as a form. Punch a hole in the
used to preserve the holes of a plug-in dip meter, I wanted to make sure the turns container cap, insert the coil in the
breadboard fixture. I have found that would stay in place as I wound the coil. The container and feed a few inches of solder
heavyuse weakens the contact clipsin such necessary inductance required many turns out through the hole in the cap. I have a
boards. (Some of my older boards no of small-diameter wire, and I didn't want number of these containers-each contains
longer grip wire smaller than no. 16AWG.) the winding to loosen and scramble if I a different size Or formulation of solder ..
An inexpensive DIP socket protects the dropped the coil during the winding -Hal Simmerman. KE40R, Marietta,
expensive plugboard from excessive wear. process. Georgia
When the socket no longer provides good To keep the turns in place, I wound o Empty Solder wick" spools make
contact, simply replace it with a new double-stick transparent tape on the coil excellent dispensers for small-diametersolder.
one.-David Polen, W8FRB, Canton, form before beginning the winding. Even Just pull a few feet from a large roll and wind
Ohio though I relaxed my pull on the wire several it on the empty spool.-David A. Brown,
times during the winding process, the turns W6NBM, Wildomar. California
stayed put I-James Herb, W3SHP, o Fishing-tackle stores sell plastic float beads
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania that are good element tips for home-built
antennas. Simply heat the end of the element
TIDBITS FOR THE STATION and push it halfway through the bead. The
AND SHOP plastic beads can't prevent corona discharge
o Kodak" sells 35-mm photographic film like a metal ball, but they do prevent injuries
in 50- and 100-ft bulk packs, which come from sharp element ends.-Jack Demaree,
in tin-plated steel cans suitable for small WB90TX, Versailles, Indiana
electronic projects. The l00-ft can is about
4 (diam) by I % inches deep, while the 50-ft PIN MARKINGS FOR COMPUTER
can is about 3% (diam) by 1-5/8 inches. CONNECTORS
The cans are easily soldered, and the 50-ft o DB25 and similar computer-cable
can nests inside the loo-ft can. Paint the connectors have molded-in pin numbers,
Fig 17-WBFRB uses a DIP socket to cans to prevent rust. but the labels are difficult to read. You can
prolong the life of his plug-in breadboards. increase the visibility of the numbers by
• You can add a spring-open feature to
pliers not so equipped by the maker. Spread rubbing a pencil or ballpoint pen over
the tool handle fully open, clean the insides them. [A fine-tip, permanent marker works
IDENTIFYING IC PINOUTS ON of the handles near the pivot and place a well, too.-Ed.] This hint was suggested to
CIRCUIT BOARDS big dab of silicone caulk there so that it me by Tom Gilmer, my system manager
o Building IC projects on perforated contacts both handles. Once the plastic and occasional "Elmer." -John V.
board can be frustrating because device cures, it will cause the handles to spring Hedtke, KD7WS, Seattle, Washington
identity. orientation and pinout are back to the open position. If the return
confusing on the wiring side of a board. action is too strong, cut a "V" in the caulk KEEPING TRACK OF SCRAP WIRE
Troubleshooting a perf-board Ie project is and remove some of the material. LENGTHS
difficult for the same reason. My solution • I affixed a sponge to my o By winding moderate lengths of wire On
to this problem requires only a piece of Ungar" soldering-iron holder by putting a an 8-inch-diam form, it is easy to know the
masking tape for each IC, a pocketknife loop of no. 22 AWG wire through both the approximately total length of the wire (in
and a pen or pencil. The description of the sponge and the holes in the holder legs. feet) just by counting the number of turns
technique assumes that the IC to be and multiplying by 2. (Each turn is slightly
• "Travel Pak" QSL labels are handy for
identified has already been placed on the longer than 2 ft, because the circumference
labeling your radio gear. They are inexpen-
board. of a circle is equal to 1f [about 3.1416]
sive and can easily be placed anywhere-
Cut a piece of masking tape slightly multiplied by the circle's diameter.) I do
like inside a hand-held (transceiver) battery
longer than the footprint of the IC. Using this before putting wire away for storage
pack or a cabinet. I use the same labels to
the pocketknife blade, push the tape down in the junk box by using an 8-inch kitchen
identify camera gear and other valuables.
over the IC pins until it sticks to the board. pot as a temporary coil form. -James A.
- Timothy N. Colbert, Burton, Ohio
Run the sharp edge of the knife blade along Herb, W3SHP, 23 E Pine Sr, Selinsgrove,
the IC pins to smooth the tape, and finish o You can straighten short pieces of PA 17870
the job by passing the unsharpened edge kinked-up wire by placing one end of the
of the blade between the I'C pins to ensure wire in a vise and the other in the chuck GAUGE FINE WIRE SIMPLY
firm adhesion. Next, write the IC's of a variable-speed hand drill. Then turn o As an alternative to using a micrometer
function and pin numbers on the tape. I the drill motor slowly while holding tension or dial caliper close-wind 10 to 20 turns of
usually identify only the corner pins of the on the wire. When done, polish the wire the wire, (how many turns doesn't matter
chip-pins I, 7, 8 and 14 for a l4-pin with steel wool and give it a coat of clear as long as you know the number) on a
device, for instance.-Gene Shapiro. acrylic paint. I've used pieces of no. 8 and pencil and measure the length of the
WDDLQ Prairie Village, Kansas no. 10 AWG wire straightened by this winding. Calculate the number of turns per
method for VHF whips.-Harold F. inch and check The 1990 A RRL
Editor's Note: So acute are the problems of ic
pinout and identification in the construction of Keenan, KAIFJR, Danbury. Connecticut Handbook's Copper Wire Table for the
complex digital prototypes that a number of o Loose coil slugs can be tightened by wire gauge that matches this turns-per-inch
manufacturers now offer preprinted identification removing the slug and trapping a short figure.-Zack Lau, KH6CP, ARRL
tags that can be slipped over the pins of wire-wrap
IC sockets. (One such product is the Wrap-ID, piece of rubber band between the slug and Laboratory Engineer
manufactured by OK Industries, Inc.) Because hole as the slug is screwed back into the
these tags are intended for wire-wrap use, they hole.-Boris Golovchenk:o, KB2TN, HOW TO STRIP LIGHT-GAGE
may not withstand soldering heat. Nonetheless, Delray Beach. Florida ENAMELED WIRE
wire-wrap identification tags may be worth in-
vestigating for soldered projects, especially for o A handy solder dispenser can be made o The small wire wheels available for
circuits containing many ICs. from a container used for 35-mm hobby motor tools can be used to "skin"
Construction 5-11
small-diameter stranded wires. (Standard. condition when I get it; sometimes, it a countersink. An end mill is fast. accurate
designed-for-application skinning devices requires a new bulb. Major surgery might and cheap. In addition, an end mill is less
are apt to break Or cut some strands.) involve replacing the lamp's line cord. likely to damage a PC board by over-
Simply place the wire up against a fairly Used-lamp goosenecks are almost always drilling (Fig 18B).
hard surface (a block of wood will do) and in good shape; a loose rivet-joint gooseneck You can make an end mill simply by
wire-brush the insulation off.-Willard can be quickly and easily repaired with no. using a grinding wheel to grind off the
Bridgham, WI WF, Box 103, Windsor, MA 4-40 hardware. point of a standard 1/8- or 3/16-inch-
01270 If you're worried about your lamp's diameter drill bit; The result is a flat-ended
WINDING LARGE COILS ON A gooseneck or reflector coming into contact bit. I suggest modifying an inexpensive
MOTORIZED BARBECUE SPIT with a bare live conductor, a wrap of plastic dime- or hardware-store bit; these are easier
o Evenly winding large coils of no. 16 or electrical tape insulates things nicely. to grind. (Don't even consider using a
heavier-gage wire can be tricky. Such a job Finally-although I haven't tried this-a carbide bit. of course!)
may require three hands! Winding evenly couple of magnets, epoxied to the lamp When your homemade end mill shows
spaced coils with lighter-gage wire is also base-should hold the lamp to a steel signs of dulling (burrs instead of clean
a chore, even if you use string for spacing surface. should the need for this arise. removal of PC-board foil). you can re-
the turns. Winding such a coil often -Julian N. Jablin, W9IWI, 9124 N sharpen it easily: Just touch it up quickly
involves several tries. and the result rarely Crawford A ve, Skokie, IL 60076 with the grinding wheel.
looks professional. I've used this method successfully for
USE AN END MILL TO REMOVE years to make test boards in a research
I wind large coils on a motorized barbe- COPPER FROM PC BOARDS
cue spit with a set of mandrels made from lab-not because end mills aren't available,
plastic irrigation tube. End washers, made o In some cases, the stability of RF PC- but because ground-down drill bits are
from PC-board material and cut to fit the board circuitry can be enhanced by using much less likely to walk off in someone's
square spit, cap the mandrels. "Instant" the component side of a double-sided board pocketi-Dick Edwin, KD2FU, Northport,
glue holds the washers to the mandrels. as a groundplane. This construction New York
This arrangement allows me to wind method requires an extra step. however,
because copper must be removed around BLENDING CIRCUIT-BOARD FABRI-
large coils for power-amplifier tanks, CATION TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESS
Transmatches, and so on. from wire up to component-lead holes to avoid short
no. 12. For air-core, self-supporting coils, circuits to the groundplane. A drawing in o In his August 1987 article on homemade
I use a mandrel ~ inch less in diameter a January 1985 QST article'? shows circuit boards, I I Doug DeMaw mentioned
than the final diameter of the coil. The how to do this with a drill or countersink the unsuitability of mechanically etched
motor is slow enough for the turns to be (Fig 18A). boards for use with ICs or other
wound against firm thumb pressure below For me, the easiest method of doing this components with close pin spacings.
the rotating mandrel, which limits "spring- is to use a homemade end mill rather than (Generally, mechanical etching isn't precise
out" when the wire is cut. enough to make traces suitable for the
Thin-wire, space-wound coils can be O.I-inch pin spacing standard with l'Cs.)
gi"'"
wound with great accuracy on slip-on I've been getting around this limitation by
forms. With patience, you can even wind making a gridded sub-board for the IC and
Litz-wire and 'IT-wound chokes. For plug- GROUND-PLANE DRILL OUT mounting to the main (mechanically
in transmitter coils. 1!4-inch-diam plastic- etched) circuit board with the piggyback
pipe couplers are fine-and cheap. They _m""" method described in Doug's article (see Fig
J~
can be drilled and mounted on 14-gage-wire 19). Jumper wires connect the Ie sub-board
legs passed through two holes in a terminal pads to the main circuit board; glue holds
strip and soldered to form plug-in pins. the IC subassembly in place.-John Evans,
COPPER PAD
Although large, solenoidal coils are less M ATERIAL K3SQO, Box 84, RD #1, Kingsley, PA
THROUGH HOLE
in vogue than they once were, they are still 18826
useful in antenna tuners and vacuum-tube (AI
power amplifiers. My rotisserie technique
riO"'J~
' "'
allows me to fabricate such coils profes-
sionally and cheaply.-Alex Comfort, MD, GRIOOED
COPPER\ WITH END MILL SUB - BOARD lC
KA6UXR, 121 S Evergreen, Ventura, CA (GLUE TO SOCKET
93003 MAIN BOARD)
5·14 Chapter 5
SWR
problem: Just brush a patch of the white
SWR SWR stuff on the surface to be marked. Once the
-3 :4 SWR
-2 -5 SWR fluid dries, it can easily be written on with
I
SWR -7
"1.5 SWR water-based markers, such as Flairv pens
=10 and their equivalents.-Scott Gray.
0.2 0.3
0.4 0.5 / K7WPC, PO Box 12, Toledo, OR 97420
SWR=1 SWR=oO
0 1.0 APPLYING DRY-TRANSFER PANEL
LABELS
o Applying dry-transfer labels to a panel
after controls have been mounted can be
frustrating because manipulating label
sheets between control shafts and mounting
bushings is difficult. To get around this,
I tried cutting the desired labels from the
carrier sheets, but my 10 thumbs aren't
nimble enough to hold such small pieces in
place for burnishing!
Here's how to solve this problem. Cut
Fig 22-0ne means of the desired label from the carrier sheet with
recording meter-scale
marking points before
scissors or a knife and place it face down
(so that it reads properly) on a sheet of the
t o
erasing the original
scale. See text. label-backing paper (supplied by the label
manufacturer to separate the carrier
sheets). Place a piece of Scotch'" Magic"
tape on the label. It will stick to the label
but not to the backing paper. Lift the
assembly and position the label-which can
be read through the tape-in the desired
POWER
built equipment immediately realizes that, place and press it to the panel. Now use a
although I'm willing to spend a lot of time
05
.1.
.2 .3 .. .5
.6. 7
on functionality and performance, I don't
devote much time to beauty! So you'll have
ballpoint pen to burnish the label. The
Magic tape accepts ink, so you can easily
see when the burnishing job is complete.
1.5
2 3
• 5
7 .8.9 to look elsewhere for advice on how to When the label is fully burnished, pull away
-
0 '0 1 make a meter face good-looking. When
SWR the tape. There you are: As neat a labeling
finished, the meter face should resemble job as you could wish for. For crowded
Fig 23.-Roy Lewallen, W7EL, 5470 SW panels, I find that 1116 inch of tape around
152 Ave, Beaverton, OR 97007. the edges of the label is enough to hold the
+ TOOTHPASTE AS A POLISHING label in place for burnishing.
AGENT Whatever technique you use to apply
Fig 23-Example of a finished meter face. dry-transfer labels, be sure to clean the
This scale is that of the meter used in "A o After accidentally scratching the digital panel first with a solvent capable of
Simple and Accurate QRP Directional readout on my Kenwood TR-2600A hand- removing oil without damaging the panel
Wattmeter.' , held transceiver, I wondered if the scratch surface. Residual oil, human or otherwise,
could be removed. On a hunch, I can prevent dry-transfer labels from ad-
discovered that the readout face could be hering properly to the panel. Do this
the existing meter scale is another. It' 5 polished to its original smoothness with cleaning shortly before applying the
fairly easy to make the new scales readable, toothpaste-by briskly rubbing a small labels.-Harold J. Read, ex- W9HBW,
and somewhat harder to make them look amount of paste over the scratched area - W9HBX, -W9LHP, Grove City, Florida
nice. If you decide to make new scales with tissue paper. Since then, I've found
rather than add marks to the existing scale, that this method works well on many soft SOME THOUGHTS ON PANEL
you'll want to record the correct places to plastics.-Ronald E. Wright, N9ADJ, 612 LABELING
make the new marks before you obliterate
the old scale. One way to do this is as
Forest Ave, Alton, IL 62002 o When commercial ham equipment is
STOP THAT DRILL modified sufficiently to require front-panel
follows. marking changes, or homegrown gear is to
Refer to Fig 22. Attach the meter face o To avoid overdrilling holes in sheet be polished up a bit, it's usually difficult
to a large piece of paper. Trace aroundthe metal, find a piece of metal tubing about to make the front panel labeling look
face so you can exactly reposition it later. V. inch shorter than the bit. Slip the tubing decent and fit in with the rest of the station.
Find the meter pivot point by extending the over the bit before drilling. The tubing I faced this problem after I modified my
tick marks at the scale's ends, and verify limits the bit's travel and keeps the bit from Heathkit'" 5B-200 amplifier to cover the
this point by extending a couple of other damaging components behind the drilled 160- and 12-meter bands." As a result of
points on the scale. Then draw lines from surface. A stack of rubber grommets works my modifications, the 5B-200's TUNE and
the pivot point through the meter face to well, too.-Frank A. Reed, Jr. BAND switches required relabeling, and I
an area beyond the face, labeling them W6PWQ/7, PO Box 275, Langlois, OR wanted the amplifier to look as good as it
appropriately, as shown in Fig 22. Then 97450 performed.
you can remove, repaint and replace the My solution to this problem was to cut
meter face. The new scale and marks can USING WATER·BASED MARKERS
be hand-drawn; press-on letters and ON GLOSSY SURFACES
numbers can be used; or the face may be o Many glossy surfaces won't take ink
made with a photographic process. from water-based markers. Typists' 17 5 . M. North, "Putting the Heath 58-200 on
A caution: Anyone who sees my home- correction fluid is a solution to this 160 Meters," QST. Nov 1987, pp 33-35.
Construction 5·15
(A) (B)
Fig 24-Safford North relabeled his 88-200 amplifier without modification by using a labeled pasteboard subpanal. Installation is easy:
The slotted pasteboard just slides into place behind the amplifier controls.
a rectangular piece of black pasteboard sea of clear paint!) Spray a few coats until now I use ordinary zinc chloride/hydro-
large enough to cover the scales around the the paint completely covers the lettering. chloric acid liquid flux, available at
SB-2oo's LOAD, TUNE and BAND controls. Step 4. Heat the front panel from behind hardware stores. Bar solder (40% tin, 600/0
I used white ink to draw the band arcs the painted side until it is almost too hot lead) or rosin-core wire solder works well.
around the TUNE control and white dry- to touch. You can do this over a gas stove, The metals to be soldered to must be
transfer lettering for the LOAD and BAND but be careful to keep the painted side from clean. Tin each piece separately, then clamp
scales, and for labeling the band arcs (Fig making direct contact with the flames. or otherwise hold the pieces together. Next,
24A). Remove the panel from the heat source and heat the work and flow solder into the
With suitable slots cut to pass the LOAD, immediately spray on another coat of clear joint.
TUNE and BAND control shafts, the labeled enamel from some distance away (l foot For joining thick pieces of stainless-steel
subpanel slides neatly into place on the or more), so that the paint particles land at right angles, I clamp them securely into
SB-200 (Fig 24B). The white-on-black on the panel spread widely apart. As the position (after tinning), carefully preheat
appearance of the subpanel is striking and panel cools, the paint particles will shrink, the parts with a propane torch (taking care
the controls are properly labeled-all giving a matte finish on the panel. not to discolor the metal) and finish the job
without modifying the equipment front This is not an original idea, but with a large soldering iron. This method
panel itself in any way.-Sajjard M. something I learned back in Tokyo many allows me to pile up enough solder to form
North, KG2M, 1426 Riverbend Dr, years ago when I was a kid, making a lot fillets that greatly strengthen the joint.
Baldwinsville, NY 13027 of projects and looking for neat ways of -Ed Nickerson, K4EBF, 610 N
making a good-looking front panel, I hope Yachtsman Dr, Sanibel, FL 33957
~
MATTE FINISH AND PANEL LABELS this technique gives you a handsome front o Ed Snow's H & K note on soldering
FOR HOMEMADE PROJECTS panel that the device inside the box truly stainless steel prompted me to look up the
o When we construct a radio/electronics deserves!-Kunio Mitsuma, KA3RRF, solders I've been using. Stay-bright'
device and put it in a box, its front panel Calder Sq, PO Box 10407, State College, (manufactured by the J. W. Harris Co, Inc)
often ends up looking shabby, with PA 16805 or Kester" "Sit-Strong" (4% silver, 96%
handwritten names for control labels. A SOLDERING TO STAINLESS STEEL- tin) solder will do an excellent job on
nice-looking front panel reflects the quality ALMOST stainless steel and many other metals. "Sil-
of the project inside the box. Here is a Strong" melts at 430 OF and can be applied
simple way of making an attractive front o Stainless steel doesn't take solder, but with a regular soldering iron; it's also
panel that has a matte-finish silver hairline the equivalent of a soldered connection can claimed to be five times stronger than
design. If your project box already has an be made to stainless steel by means of a regular tin-lead solder-a statement that,
aluminum front panel, great. If not, cut an welding technique. Using an oxyacetylene according to my experience, seems to be
aluminum plate the same size as the box's or Mappw gas torch, braze a patch of brass true.
front panel and attach it to the box. Before to the steel. Solder your connection to the I found both products at my local
beginning, make all necessary holes and brass instead of the steel. If you use this hardware store. They're more expensive
cuts in the front panel(s). technique for connection to a stainless steel than regular soft solders, but since they do
Step 1. Wrap fine sandpaper around a clamp on an aluminum antenna element, the job, they're worth the price.-Bill
piece of wood and sand the aluminum be careful not to allow contact. between the Corse, K3YSL, PO Box 125, New
panel in one direction until fine hairlines brass and the aluminum: corrosion can Freedom, PA 17349
begin to appear. If the panel is coated with result where t.hese metals touch.-Edson B.
Snow, W2UN, Pompano Beach, Florida o ,Fabricators of kitchen equipment find
paint, be patient and do this until the paint stainless steel to be one of the easiest metals
comes of! and the hairlines appear. H & K INTERACTION: SOLDERING to solder. The secret is to use the proper
Step 2. Thoroughly clean the panel TO STAINLESS STEEL flux. A number of such fluxes are available
surface. Now, spray the panel with clear on the market, and these can be obtained
lacquer paint. The purpose of this is to In "Soldering to Stainless Steel-Almost,"
Edson B. Snow, W2UN, described a at sheet-metal supply houses. I useLloyd's
make the surface of the panel smooth for stainless-steel flux, which is manufactured
applying dry rub-on lettering. Wait until method of welding a brass patch (eminently
solderable) to stainless steel (difficult to by the Johnson Mfg Co, Princeton, IA
the lacquer dries completely, then apply the 52768. (Although my name is Lloyd, I have
lettering. solder). In response to this, readers write:
no connection with this company.} I've had
Step 3. Spray the panel with clear enamel o I've been soldering to stainless steel for no problems with corrosion of the soldered
paint. (Important: Use a different type of over 20 years, achieving structurally sound
joints; just be sure to rinse or wipe the work
paint than you used in Step 2. Otherwise, joints that compare favorably with joints
in iron or brass. There's no trick to it. At clean with a damp rag when finished.
this coat may mix with the Step 2 paint,
one time, I used a special paste flux, but -Lloyd Franklin, W9WUR, 8006 S
causing the lettering to float around in a Kirkland A ve, Chicago, IL 60652
5-16 Chapter 5
SOLDERING TO STAINLESS Rutland; I bought it at a hardware store.) be pushed or pulled from the holder by other
STEEL-AGAIN If the cap is still properly soldered to the means, here's an adhesivesolution: Put a dab
o Concerning "Soldering to Stainless terminal wire, skip to the next paragraph. of mixed five-minute epoxy glue on the
Steel-Almost": I've successfully soldered If the cap has come loose from the tube and passive end of a wooden match. Carefully
insert the matchstick into the fuse holder,
stainless steel to stainless steel-and to iron, terminal wire, carefully clean the wire, glued end first. When it bottoms, twist it
cast iron, brass, copper and other metals- sanding it (if necessary) so solder can gently, but firmly, to seat it in the fuse end
by using homemade acidic soldering flux adhere. Resolder the cap to the wire. cup. Allowthe epoxycementto cure for ]()"15
made of the following ingredients: 37 g of Following the manufacturer's minutes and pull out the matchstick, If you
zinc chloride, 23 g of glacial acetic acid and instructions for handling and applying the recover only glass fragments, repeat the pro-
40 g of hydrochloric acid. (This formula cement, push the cement under the cap cedure until the errant cup is extracted.
produces a considerable quantity of flux; edge to fill the tube-to-cap gap as fully as -Marty, W6BDN, and Dan, N6BZA, Levin,
you can scale down the quantities in possible. Prop up the tube while the cement Menlo Park, California
proportion to suit your needs.) To make sets.
USING HEAT AND COLD TO MOUNT
the zinc chloride, I dissolve zinc in hydro- Tube heat apparently helps the cement PARTS
chloric acid until the solution is saturated; cure, so using the tube may further
then I carefully add the rest of the strengthen the cement-to-glass bond. So o A remembered high-school physics
ingredients.-Roger Del Nero, WA2HNQ, far, the cap 1reattached this way has stayed demonstration helped me replace the tip on
RFD #6, Box 291, Rome, NY 13440 pUL-Jay Bryant, KM41M, 4736 Dauphine my collapsible 5/S-wave hand-held trans-
Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32803 ceiver antenna. I'd pulled the original tip
AK7M:This formulacalls for chemicalsthat are
hazardous to touch and breathe. Hints and
loose and lost it. The replacement tip sent
Kinks recommends that readers unsure of their to me by the factory apparently had been
WHEN FUSES SHATTER
ability to handle dangerous chemicals made for a different antenna: The socket
purchase ready-to-use zinc-chloride flux o In the course of performingtheir function, for the antenna was too small.
instead of trying to blend their own. tubular glass fuses may shatter if subjected I enlarged the socket with a drill one size
Preformulated acidic fluxes are hazardous, to a severe overload. This causes two smaller than the antenna tip. Then I put the
too; use them carefully. problems: (1) glass shards in the holder and
(2) the detached fuseend cup insidethe holder antenna in our food freezer for a couple
RE·CEMENTING TUBE GRID AND base. These remnants can usually be ejected of hours. Next, I heated the tip in a
PLATE CAPS by inserting a small rod through the back end 400 0 F oven for 15 minutes. Taking proper
of the holder if that end of the holder is care not to be burned by heat or cold, I
o When the ceramic adhesive that holds accessible. tried to assemble the parts again. Voila!
a plate or grid cap to a tube breaks away These problems can be minimized by Shrunk by cold, the antenna slipped into
from the tube envelope, making a wrappingthe glassbody of the fuse with vinyl the heat-enlarged hole of the tip. As the
connection to the loose cap can strain the tape. One or two turns are enough; ~-in-wide parts reached the same temperature, the
terminal's metal-to-glass seal and wire. 1 tape is a perfect fit on standard size fuses antenna swelled slightly and the tip shrank,
successfully reattached a loose cap to an (3AG, and so on). Use transparent tape to resulting in a press fit as strong and tight
811A with high-temperature stove-gasket allow visual inspection of the fuse element.
If the back cup of a disintegratedfuse can't as a weld.-Richard Ellers, K8JLK,
cement. (I use a cement manufactured by Warren. Ohio
Construction 5·17
PARTS
REPLACEMENT PA TRANSISTORS small heat sinks on a vise. Each makes use
o With winter here, I would like to pass of open-seam, 3/8-inch-OD aluminum
some practical advice along to ownersof the tubing. See Fig 25A. Cut the tubing to
Kenwood TS-130. On a winter day in length, and clean the cut with reamer and
January 1983, I had left my mobile rig out file. Pry open the seam with a screwdriver
in the cold for several hours at about OQF. and slip the sink over the transistor. The
When I switched the rig on, the collector sink shown in Fig 25B uses the same tech-
current rose to a very high value, and one nique, but is more open to the air. The
of the PA transistors developed an emit- 3/8-inch tubing is just right for transistors
ter/ collector short. I checked with an RF en- in TO-5 and TO-39 cases.-Daniel G.
gineer and found that this is common failure Mackintosh, W6SPC, San Francisco,
mode for RF power transistors that are California
several years old. He suggested that I avoid
this problem in the future by warming the REDUCTION-DRIVE TUNING
CAPACITORS FROM UHF TV
rig to about 20° before applying power.
TUNERS
I replaced the original Toshiba 2SC2290s 18
with a pair of matched Motorola MRF- o Surplus UHF TV tuners, and those in
4215, which are listedas direct replacements discarded TV sets, may serve as a source of
in the Motorola manual. The replacement reduct:ion-drive tuning capacitors. The geared
reduction drives on these variable capacitors
procedure is very straightforward: Simply have practically no backlash. After you have
install the new transistors and adjust the located such a tuner, carefully open it. You
bias current as described in the shop should see a tiny three-section variable
manual. The results are excellent, and the capacitor with an integral reduction drive.
new transistors produce slightly more Depending on when the tuner was manufac-
power than the originals on 10 and tured, it may have a detent systemfor channel
15 meters. These transistors have been in selection. If such a systemis present. remove
service for about three years now, with no or otherwise disable it.
signs of instability or other problems.- Now, let your creativity be your guide. In
one project, I disconnected the capacitor
George Hovorka, WA1PDY, Milton, stators from the tuner circuitry, wired them
Massachusetts together and brought a lead from the
paralletled stators out through a hole in the
18[These same PA transistors are used In tuner box. I kept the tuner knobs and used
many contemporary radios as well, such as them to adjust the capacitor .-James Smith,
the TS-430S.-Ed.1 KD4YD, Ellenton, Florida
TRANSISTOR HEAT SINKS FROM REPAIR VARIABLE CAPACITORS
ALUMINUM TUBING WITH PLASTIC SHEET
D Here are two alternatives to forming o I bought a homemade L-network Trans-
match at a recent hamfest only to discover Fig 26-Rodney Schrock improved the effi-
3/8" 00 later that the ceramic insulation of its ciency of his MF/HF antenna tuner by
a..~
P E N . SE A M ALUMINUM
variable capacitor was badly cracked. After replacing the bakelite insulation in its
TUBING
I overcamemy disappointment. I noticed that variable capacitors with Plexiglas. (Acrylic
TO SLIP SINK OVER the capacitor could be disassembled; it was plastic is also manufactured under the
T.RANSISTOR, INSERT trade names Acrylite and Lucite.) This
SCREWDRIVER HERE AND TWIST
held together with screws rather than rivets. capacitor is a General Radio 247. (photos
I measured the thickness of the broken in- by KD30R)
~I~ <, TO-5 DR -39 TRANSISTOR
sulator (1,4 inch), and headed to a hardware
store to find replacement material.
Fifty cents' worth of scrap lI8-inch
SIMPLE CYLINDRICAL
HEAT SINK Plexiglas" provided the solution. Using the ficiency. I tried this idea with my antenna
IA) ceramic pieces from the capacitor as a tuner's variable capacitors (Fig 26 shows
template, I marked and drilled two identi- two views of one) and was pleasantly
cal Plexiglas pieces to bring the thickness surprised at the improvement.-Rodney
,Ir-~,
,, of the replacement assembly to '4 inch. K. Schrock, KD30R, 402 Lincoln st.
L_ _J Even though I had to make several tries at Somerset, PA 15501
CUT HALF WAY THROUGH
TUBE AND BEND TUBE OUT
sizing the pieces because of my inexperience
with tools, the rebuilt capacitor works! This QUICK FORMS FOR SMALL,
hint may help others save damaged vari- ADJUSTABLE COILS
(B)
able capacitors that cannot be replaced D Cut a short piece of heat-shrink tubing
easily or cheaply.-Oscar Martinson. that is just large enough in diameter to pass
FINISHED HEAT SINK NfJDKB, Minneapolis. Minnesota a no. 4-40 or 6-32 screw. Coat the screw
with silicone lubricant, slip the tubing over
IMPROVED PERFORMANCE IN
OLDER VARIABLE CAPACITORS the screw and shrink the tubing. After the
tubing has cooled and hardened, wind the
HEAT SINK WITH BETTER
o I read with interest N0DKB's capacitor- coil on the tubing without removing the
EXPOSURE TO ALR repair hint and decided that replacing with screw. Use quick-setting epoxy glue to
acrylic plastic the bakelite insulation in secure the wire to the form.
Fig 25---W6SPC's quick TO-srrO·39 heat some of my older capacitors (those used in Once the glue has set, you can adjust the
sinks from open-seam, 3/8-inch-OD situations where appearance and authentic- inductance by varying the core material and
aluminum tubing. ity do not matter) might improve their ef- the depth to which it is turned into the coil.
5-18 Chapter 5
Assuming the coil's inductance with an air MORE ON USING TV·FLYBACK. Parasitic series resonance occurs at some
core as standard, a brass screw reduces the TRANSFORMER CORES FOR frequency in every choke. The more turns
inductance and a ferrous screw increases FILAMENT CHOKES the choke contains, the lower the frequency
the inductance. Steel (a very poor core
material at RF) and brass lower the coil Q
o WA0NSY's idea (M. Meyer, "A Source of series self-resonance. If series resonance
in addition to changing its inductance. of Ferrous Core Material for Filament occurs in an Amateur Radio band, you may
Ferrous cores suitable for RF are available Chokes," Hints and Kinks, QST, Aug have a very hot choke indeed when you
with threads of standard pitches.-Edwin 1989, P 39), is a good one. Old TV flyback transmit on that band! (Because the choke
B. Walker, DDS, WA4DFS, Mountain cores should make excellent filament exhibits a very low impedance at series
City, Tennessee chokes and his construction technique resonance. it sinks the drive power that
looks sound. Some cautions are called. for. would otherwise be fed to the amplifier cir-
however. cuit of which it is part.) Because filament-
A SOURCE OF FERROUS CORE
Assuming that Mark's IO-Atest filament choke service requires a relatively low-
MATERIAL FOR FILAMENT CHOKES
current flows through both windings in just impedance choke to begin with-one re-
o Ferrite cores from TV flyback trans- the way it would flow in practice, no quiring considerably fewer turns than a
formers can serve well as core material for magnetic flux is produced in the core be- high-impedance choke-it should be pos-
filament chokes. Here are my experiences cause the fields from the two windings have sible to construct a filament choke that is
in fabricating and testing a filament choke opposite "sense" as seen by the core, series resonant above 30 MHz-the best
wound on such a core in a home-built causing them to cancel. Thus, filament place for the series self-resonance in an
two-813 amplifier. The core 1 used is rec- current is not the core-saturation problem MF/HF-amplifier filament choke. That's
tangular. with inside dimensions of about it appears to be, and the test, as described. another incentive to minimize turns.
l-¥.i X I Yz inches. is invalid. -David M. Barton, AF6S, 14842 Nelson
After removing the transformer wind- In an amplifier tube with a directly Way, San Jose, CA 95124
ings, I wound several layers of electrical heated cathode, however, the cathode
tape on the core to protect the choke wind- current also flows in the choke windings.
o The test Mark describes should be done
with de equal 10 the total expected cathode
ing from the core's sharp edges. Next, 1
Because this current-dc-has the same current, rather than with filament ac, The
wound 34 bifilar turns of no. 12 enameled
sense in both windings and produces flux test current can be applied through one wire
wire-as many as would fit-on the core.
in the core. it' s the one we need to worry of the choke's bifilar winding or through
(I obtained the wire from an electric-motor
about. both of them in parallel; the result is the
repair shop.)
Any given core can withstand a certain ~e.lbelievethatthechokevoltagedrop
My next concern was whether the core
would saturate with the choke windings number of de ampere-turns, the product of Mark measured (0.2 V at 10A filament cur-
supplying filament power (10 V ac at 10 A) the net winding direct current and the rent) is due essentiallyto wire resistance and
to the 813s. To test this, 1 wound a few number of turns. In a typical flyback not core loss.
turns of wire on the core and shunted this core-say, a Ferroxcube IFI9-3C6A- For a tube with an indirecly heated
winding with a capacitor. Then, I deter- about Ig ampere-turns causes a 50% reduc- cathode, use a trifilar choke: one wire for
mined the resonant frequency of this tion in inductance. WA0NSY's design used each heater lead and one for the cathode
parallel tuned circuit with a dip meter. 34 turns, giving Ig ampere-turns -e- 34 turns lead. As in the case of a bifilar choke car-
Next, 1 checked the tuned circuit's resonant = 530 rnA-about the maximum de rying filament current for a directly-heated
frequency with 10 A flowing through the cathode current in his single-3-5OOZ cathode, the tnfilar-choke core sees only
choke windings. No change had occurred amplifier. the tube's cathode current and not the
in the circuit's resonant frequency; hence. Mark's core has an A L value of about heater current while keeping the cathode
I concluded that the core could handle 2500 mH per 1000 turns (better expressed heater leads isolated at 60 Hz and at the
10 A without saturating." The core's ac as 2.5 ~H/turn'). On such a core, 34 turns same potential at MF/HF. Select the choke
voltage drop tested as 0.2 V at 10 A. (I gives 2.9 mH-a reactance of almost 33 kO core for its RF characteristics-while
needed. this information because 1 planned at 1.8 MHz. That much reactance seems operating at the expected de cathode cur-
to heat the 813s' filaments with a rewound ridiculously high for a choke in a low- rent, but neglecting the filament/heater
power transformer. That I did; my impedance cathode circuit. Why not reduce current-at the frequency of interest.
rewound transformer puts out 10.2 V under the number of turns dramatically? The -Harold C. Myers, K4JHM, 555Hembree
load.) answer is core loss. The core material is Rd, Roswell, GA 30076
With the Ilyback-core filament choke in designed to exhibit low loss at 20 kHz, not
place, my amplifier works well from 1.8 to 2 MHz. At medium and high frequencies, A SOURCE OF RING MAGNETS
30 MHz. The choke also works well in a the core loss causes an equivalent parallel o Some of the ring magnets used in speak-
single-3-5OOZ amplifier that covers the resistance, which also varies with turns ers are quite large and powerful. The mag-
same frequency range. squared. The power dissipated in this nets are discarded with faulty speakers. but
I thank Larry Stark, K9ARZ, for en- resistance limits how few turns may be they are useful around the shop, or for a
couraging me to test 'this idea. and Arne used. home-built magnetic antenna mount.
Sjomeling Jr, K0AS, for providing me with An experiment using a 100-W CW trans- But have you ever tried to salvage one
technical material on choke design. (Arne mitter at 1.8 MHZ, driving a 50-0 dummy of these magnets? The magnet material is
tested some flyback cores and determined antenna in parallel with a single winding often ceramic-very hard and brittle. Any
their permeability to be about 1000.) on the prospective core material, will reveal . attempt to separate the magnet and speak-
-Mark Meyer, WA0NSY, Rt 2, Box 28, the minimum turns requirement. Just er usually results in a broken magnet. Care-
Watertown, SD 57201 reduce the number of turns until you detect ful application of heat from a propane
core heating (with your finger, after you've torch. however, softens the cement that
turned the RF off). The test must.be repeat- holds the magnet and allows it to be re-
ed on all other bands, because the lowest moved in one piece.
t9Core saturation would reduce the core's frequency doesn't necessarily need the Slowly apply heat to the metal speaker
permeability, and, assuming that the core
material is operative at the test frequency, the highest number of turns. Once you've de- case (heat can damage the magnet) until the
inductance of the test winding. An Increase in termined the proper number of turns, wind cement starts to soften, then gently pry the
the test tuned circuit's resonantfrequencywould
indicate that such an inductance shift has the practical choke with the same number magnet free. 1 have not found a speaker
occurred.-AK7M of bifilar turns. magnet that could not be removed with this
Construction 5·19
method.-J. M. Simms, N7BBC, Tucson, PAPER·CLlP METER SHUNTS Insulating Bose
Arizona D Needing a meter shunt for monitoring
current flow with a microammeter, I
HOME·MADE COIL DOPE determined that I needed about 30 inches
o Tuffakw and Lexan" plastics can be of copper wire of a gauge sufficient to
used to make a superior coil dope. To do handle the current. Looking for something
this, dissolve a quantity of one of these more compact, I discovered that a steel
plastics in a polycarbonate solvent capable paper clip works perfectly!
of bonding them chemically. (One such Straightened, the clip exhibited a
solvent is Weldon-35, made by Industrial resistance of about 0.025 0 from end to
Polychemical Service, 17109 S Main St, end. (Since very few ohmmeters measure
Gardena, CA 90247 and usually available resistances this low, I simply hooked a 12-V Reliistance- Wire
at plastic sign shops.) The result is a fine, battery to an old auto headlamp [with the Loop
workable paste that dries quickly to a clear paper clip in series] and measured the cir-
coating. Caution: Don't breathe the fumes cuit's current drain [about 3 A]. Then I Fig 28-Louis Smith meyer mounts a small
of this solvent and the coil dope, use them measured the voltage drop across the paper loop of resistance wire in metal blocks for
in a well-ventilated area and don't get clip [0.075]. Solving the basic Ohm's Law use as a resistive shunt in a high-current,
them into contact with your skin.-Jack remote-load-sensing application. The holes
equation [resistance = voltage divided by
pass machine screws that hold the assem-
Sobel, WllSVM, 64 Burning Tree Dr, current] for resistance [R = 0.075 + 3] bly together. Grooves filed in the clamp
Chesterfield, MO 63017 gave the clip's resistance: about 0.025 O. blocks help keep the wires in place.
A conductor's resistance varies linearly
CRYSTAL SOCKETS FROM SPEAKER
with length, so if you need less than the
TERMINALS clip's entire resistance, tap proportionally
o Radio Shack" "Button Terminals" are along its length. I generally use an alliga- WB7DWE. 12009 30th Ave SW, Seattle,
intended for use as spring-loaded terminals tor clip to determine the exact position I WA 98/46
for speaker wiring, but they also work well need before soldering the attaching wires. WJ1Z: The length of the wire loopdepends on
as sockets for popular crystals with Paper-clip resistors have other uses. I the wire's diameter and material, and the
0.486-inch pin spacing. These devices, RS needed a low-value resistor to divide the resistance you need. If you know your wire's
nos. 274-622 (four terminals) and 274-623 current between the pass transistors and length, diameter and material, and that
(eight terminals), can be used to hold two material's resistance relative to pure copper,
regulator chip in a regulated power supply. you can roughly calculate the wire's resistance
and four crystals, respectively. Crystals in The paper clip worked perfectly. with the help of arithmetic and the reststance·
FT-243 and HC-6/U holders fit perfectly, Unless you are an avid builder, one box versus-teet listings in the ARRL Handbook's
as sbown in Fig 27.- W J1 Z of clips may provide a lifetime supply of copper-wire table (Chapter 35). For a given
shunts: at about a half cent apiece!-Colin length and diameter, nichrome wire is roug~·
Lamb, K7FM, 29830 NE Mt Top Rd. Iy 65 times more resistive than copper; alurnl-
num wire, 1.6 to 3.3; iron wire, 5.6;
Newberg, OR 97/32 stainless-steel rigging wire, 39.3. These figures
derive from Louis Smithmeyer's observatlons:
WJ1Z: And why stop at paper clips? I've seen I've rendered his data in terms of pure copper's
the helix from a spiral-bound notebook used resistance to help you use the Handbook's
as the resistance element in a low-voltage, copper-wire table. A properties-of-metals I!st-
high-current rheostat-and as coil stOCk. ~or ing in a reference-data text can provide
low-inductance, low-a, low-power parasitic- resistance values for other metals.
oscillation suppressors a la Richard L.
Measures, "Improved Anode Parasitic
Suppression for Modern Amplifier Tubes," A SUBSTITUTE FOR SPADE BOLTS
QST, Oct 1988, pp 36-36, 66, 89. o Unable to find a source of spade bolts,
I devised the fastener shown at Fig 29. It
Fig 27-Yes, Radio Shack does carry A SHUNT FOR REMOTE LOAD works well, but I'm still on the lookout for
crystal sockets-disguised as push-button SENSING IN HIGH·CURRENT POWER a small-quantity source of spade bolts!-
speaker terminals! Here, a four-terminal RS SUPPLIES
274-622 holds FT·243 and He-6/U rocks.
William L. Fleming, WA9VPU,5315 Wiley
These crystals have 0,486-inch pin o I needed an adjustable low-value, high- A ve, Indianapolis, IN 46226
spacing; crystals with wire leads work fine, current resistor to provide the small voltage
too. Terminals capable of holding four drop necessary for remote load sensing in AN EMERGENCY REPLACEMENT
crystals are also available-see text. a high-current-power-supply project. Fig 28 FOR NUTS WITH ODD·SIZED
shows my solution. I clamp a small loop THREADS
of a stainless-steel rigging-cable strand o I recently required the use of an old milli-
HOMEMADE CONDUCTIVE GLUE between two metal blocks. Grooves light- ammeter, which had the mounting screws
ly filed in the blocks hold the loop in place. permanently embedded in the case flange.
o I needed an electrically conductive Machine screws hold the blocks together The nuts for the no. 2 mounting screws
paste. much like the "Aquadag" coating and take solder lugs for shunt connections. were missing, and there were no replace-
on CRTs, in order to repair a circuit board Tap the lower clamping blocks' holes to ments in any of my accumulated hardware.
on a calculator that used graphite instead take the machine screws; drill the upper By using the plastic sleeve that insulates
of copper. I found that by mixing about blocks to pass the screws. This arrangement hook-up wire as a replacement nut, I quick-
six parts of graphite powder to one part of keeps base-insulator flexing from loosen- ly secured the meter on the new panel (see
model-airplane cement, I ended up with a ing the shunt connections-an important Fig 30).
very good conductive material when the consideration in high-current, low-resis- Find a short piece of insulated wire with
mixture dried. Don't use an epoxy or white tance applications. a conductor diameter slightly smaller than
glue; these adhesives produce a nonconduc- Discarded baseboard room heaters can the threads you wish to fit. Slide enough
tive coating when they cure or dry.-Fred serve as a source for narrow strips of thin insulation off one end of the wire to cover
L. Redburn, KX5F, /3005 Heinemann Dr stainless-steel sheet and several sizes of the exposed screw threads. Form a handle
#710. Austin, TX 78728 nichrome wire.-Louis Smithmeyer, at the other end of the wire by making a
5-20 Chapter 5
as heat-shrink material! Cut a ribbon of the bolt and remove it easily from the con-
plastic and wrap it around whatever you tainer.
wish to seal. If necessary, secure the The cap and part of a container body
winding with a temporary tie of thread or covers the loading coil on my mobile
small wire. A match provides enough heat, antenna. It is nice to get something besides
but tends to darken the plastic; a propane a vanishing aroma for your $2.-Philip
torch is too hot.- W. Burt Butts, KK4TN, Delarlais, WtUHS. Champlin. Minnesota
Douglasville, Georgia
Editor's Note: KK4TN's hint really works! QST A NEAT PANEL MOUNT FOR LEDS
no. 10 crimp lug mailing-bag plastIcis colorless, so it absorbsheat
more slowly than black heat-Shrink material: Be
o Finishing washers, commonly available
careful that you don't ignite the plastic or as- in hardware stores, make professional-
sociated wire insulation as you cure the winding. looking LED mounts (see Fig 31). Two
In the ARRL lab, a disposable lighter and a heat- dabs of hot glue between the back of the
shrink gun both produced good results. The LED and the panel hold the assembly in
lighter worked faster.
piace.-H. L. Van Ness, W7MPW, 8005
A SOURCE OF SHIELDING Sand Point Wy NE, Apt A34, Seattle, WA
no. 6-32 nut MATERIAL FOR RF PROJECTS 98105
o I discovered a source of sheet-brass
scrap on a recent visitto a local automobile
radiator repair/rebuild shop. The sheet
Fig 29-Bill Fleming uses a no. 10 crimp brass used at such shops is semisoft and is
lug and a headless no. 6-32 screw in place an excellent material-and very cheap at
of a spade lug. The nut secures the lug to
the mounted surface; not shown is the scrap prices of less than a dollar per
hardware necessary to secure the crimp pound-for use in building RF-tight boxes.
lug to the mounted object. A $S selection allowed the fabrication of
severalsmall boxes for VHF convertersand
preamplifiers with hand tools and a
soldering iron. This material is vastly
cheaper than the copper tooling material
I've previously used for this purpose.
-Larry Kayser, WA3ZIA, PO Box 6,
Alplaus, NY 12008
Fig 31-W7MPW's finishing-washer LED
ALUMINUM GUTTER SCREENING mount looks just fine.
FOR SHIELDING
o Aluminum Gutter Guard screening
(available in hardware stores) is useful for REWELD BROKEN TUBE
shielding ventilation openingsin radio gear. FILAMENTS
Fig 3D-Samples of W1HHF's nut-from- Because it's manufactured by expanding o Here is a procedure that can sometimes
insulation technique. one pieceof aluminum sheet, Gutter Guard repair broken vacuum-tube filaments. This
screening avoids the corrosion problems technique requires some luck, and not all
common to screening made of individual attempts at repair will be successful. This
wires. Also, its open "weave"-holes is the story of one successful repair and one
bend. Expand the empty insulation with about '14 inch square with less than I! 16
some needle-nose pliers, and apply a small failure.
inch of aluminum between them- I had a pair of unused lOOTH triodes,
amount of lubricant to the screw. Turn the obstructs air flow minimally.-Dan.
screw into the open end of the insulation. which would cost about $200, each, to
N6BZA, and Marty, W6BDN, Levin, replace. These tubes, and the larger 2S0TH,
Once the joint is tight, cut off the excess Menlo Park, California
wire and insulation.-Antonio G. O. have notoriously fragile filaments. Rough
Gelineau, WIHHF, Burlington, Vermont handling or extreme temperatures can
USES FOR EMPTY STICK- fracture or shatter the tube filament. In the
VCR BELTS DRIVE CAPACITORS DEODORANT CONTAINERS latter case, repair is possible only by open-
o We of the Beaumont Amateur Radio o For some time, I have been using empty ing the glass envelope, which is impracti-
Club own two Heathkit HW-lOl trans- stick-deodorant containers for coil forms cal without a laboratory. When the
ceivers to loan out to members (especially and component modules. [Two to three filament is only broken in one place, it may
new Novices). The last time we checkedout minutes in the microwave oven givesa good be repairable.
the transceivers, we noticed that their idea how lossy the plastic is. See KZ9Y's In my case, the two lOOTHs had been
variable-capacitor drive belts were dry- hint on p 6-6.-Ed.] I mount two banana stored all winter in an unheated shack on
rotted and needed replacement. We wanted plugs (spaced 'A-inch apart) in the cap and top of a mountain. When first stored, both
to replace the belts soon, so instead of install components inside it. The contain- tubes were in excellent shape. Spring found
checking to see if they are still available er body is screwed onto the cap to protect both filaments broken at the top, where
from Heathkit, we found excellent replace- the circuitry. (Fine sandpaper quickly re- they are normally welded to the filament
ments locally. We used VCR drive belts! moves the product name from the outside support stem.
They are of good quality, widelyavailable of the container.) The vacuum in both tubes appeared
and reasonably priced.-Beaumont The 1-7/8-inch-diameter English good. (A crude check of vacuum in a glass
Amateur Radio Club, W5RIN, PO Box Leather" container gets barely warm, but tube is to gently tap it: A tube with good
7073, Beaumont, TX 77706 the I J;4-inch-diameter Old SpiceStick" gets vacuum will ring crisply.) I connected an
quite hot-the cool one is less lossy. ohmmeter, set for its highest sensitivity
USE QST MAILING BAGS AS HEAT- I also use the containers to store small range, across the filament pins of one tube.
SHRINK MATERIAL nuts and bolts. The push-up feature makes Next, I tapped the tube envelope at vari-
o QSTs plastic mailing cover can be used it possible to push up the last remaining ous points with the plastic handle of a light
Construction 5-21
the battery charger and switched to 6 V. By Using a soldering iron, I melted the solder
100TH
,---oNC
the time I turned the battery charger back on pin I of this tube and an air bubble
WITH FRACTURED
FILAMENT
on, the filament had cooled. Now, it did appeared-an indication that the pin had
not light; the weld had broken. Repeated been improperly soldered to begin with. I
NC repair attempts resulted only in a lot of resoldered the pin and everything worked
sparking. Eventually, the glass tube cracked. fine. The other filament pin of the faulty
The critical difference between the tube was soldered properly, as were those
successful weld and the failed attempt was of the other 3-500Z.
SA
6 V 112V that I did not cut power to the filament,
8ATTERY CHARGER but simply reduced the voltage: The fila- REMOVING GRID-TO-FILAMENT
ment was not shut off for at least 35 SHORTS IN s-sooz« AND 3-5OOZs
minutes after the initial lighting in the suc- Since they were introduced in the 1960s,
Fig 32-KI3U's setup for repair of broken 3-400Z and 3-500Z vacuum tubes-
cessful repair. In the second case, I immedi-
vacuum-tubs filaments.
ately cut the power and allowed the particularly early versions-have been
filament to cool. I believe this error caused plagued with grid-to-filament shorts, In my
the failure. opinion, this usually results from inade-
screwdriver. There were several places Several questions come to mind about quate ventilation of the tubes, or from the
where tapping on the envelope caused the this procedure: Since de welding requires improper operating conditions that can
ohmmeter needle to flick momentarily, in- the correct polarity to be applied between occur when 3-4oozs are replaced with
dicating that the filament and stem were the materials to be joined, it is possible that 3-5OOZs without adjusting the bias on the
vibrating into contact. I marked the place the polarity was wrong in the second case. newer tubes." (I did the latter myself on
where the tapping was most effective with (I had not written down the polarities.) an early version of the original Henry 2K
a felt marker. Perhaps the rewelding would work better amplifier and experienced nothing but grid-
The actual repair was made by con- with an ac power source. In any case, I to-filament shorts-until I rebuilt the
necting an B-A, 6/12-V battery charger (set believe it is critical to maintain power af- transmitter and changed the bias, that is!)
for 12 V) and a de ammeter to the filament ter the initial relighting. The new weld must If the tubes are not severely damaged,
pins (see Fig 32). As I began tapping the be given sufficient heat to become strong. grid-to-filament shorts can be removed by
tube envelope with the screwdriver handle, Tubes such as the lOOTH are still connecting 120 V ac (in series with a 120-V,
bluish-white sparks appeared at the top of manufactured, although primarily as 500-W incandescent lamp for current
the filament. With increased tapping fre- replacements for older equipment. They are limiting) between pin I or 5 (filament) and
quency, the filament suddenly lit brightly, antiques, and one might ask, "Is it worth pin 2, 3 or 4 (grid) of the tube base. Gently
drawing more than 8 A. I immediately attempting to repair them?" There are tap the tube with a soft piece of wood or
switched the battery charger to the 6-V probably many antique tubes sitting on similar material. This should clear the grid-
position and the current dropped to a shelves with broken filaments that have lots to-filament short and restore the tube to
steady 5.75 A. After a few seconds, 12 V of emission left in them. Some of these tube useful service. Wear eye protection and
was again applied for about 1 second, then types have not been manufactured in de- take care not to contact the ac mains while
6 V with 5.75 A drawn. After 35 minutes, cades, and may only be put into service doing this-and becareful not to break the
I reversed the charger polarity. (The cur- through this kind of repair. Furthermore, tube!
rent had stabilized at 5.6 A.) In reversing the amateur may use similar techniques to Experience has shown me that removing
the polarity the filament experienced the repair broken filaments in modern trans- grid-to-filament shorts with this technique
first shutdown since becoming rewelded. mitting tubes under emergency conditions. eventually deteriorates the grid, the result
Power was removed after five minutes at Perhaps a suitable transducer (coupled to of which is the flow of plate current even
reverse polarity. Using a variable ac trans- a variable-frequency audio oscillator) can with the associated amplifier in standby. I
former, I applied power until the filament be used instead of a screwdriver handle to don't consider this current to be a problem
drew its published current of 6.3 A. At this vibrate the tube shell in a controlled man- as long as it remains below 50 rnA-I've
current, the RMS ac voltage across the ner. High-power transmitting tubes are been operating a pair of original carbon-
filament was 4.0 V. The published voltage very expensive, and their filaments do plate 3-500Zs (purchased in the mid 1960s)
is 5.0-V ac (RMS). Nine minutes after sometimes break prematurely. The type of in this way for over ten years! In standby,
applying power, I raised the voltage to equipment necessary to attempt repair is they draw about 45 rnA. "Zapping" the
5.0 V. The current read 7.0 A. Three and certainly present. in the average amateur grid-to-filament short circuits out of these
one-half hours later, I cut all power to the station.-Berj N. Ensanian, K/3U, Eldred. tubes did not affect their output-power
filament for the day. Pennsylvania capability.
For the next 30 days, I ran the filament If your tubes are still under warranty and
at 6.3 A for 1.5 hours daily to stress relieve FIXES FOR 3-400Z AND seem to harbor grid-to-filament shorts,
the weld. Each time, the filament drew 3-500Z TUBES contact the tube manufacturer instead of
6.3 A at 4.0 V and 7.0 A at 5.0 V. At the o In investigating a filament failure in my trying my zapping technique. If the tubes'
end of the 30-day period, I measured the home-brew push-pull 3-5OOZ 40-meter warranty has expired, though, give my idea
interelectrode capacitances. The input amplifier, I found something that I had a try; you may be pleased with the results.
capacitance was approximately 0.5 pF never seen before. All wiring, the filament -John O. Norback, W6KFV, ARRL
higher than the published value of 2.9 pF. transformer and tube sockets were work- Assistant Technical Coordinator, 133 Pino
The other two capacitances were equal to ing correctly, but the series connected fila- Solo ct. Nipomo. CA 93444
the published ratings. The emission of the ments of the tube would not light. I pulled
filament was also good. (All instruments 2°A recent OST article suggests another
the amplifier out of the relay rack and ex- possibility: that grid-to-filament shorts in these
used had an accuracy of ±2%.) amined the circuitry. It was easy to find tubes can occur as a result of strong VHF para-
An attempt to repair a second tube ended which tube was at fault: Twisting one tube sitic oscillations. See A. Measures, "Improved
in failure. As before, I began tapping the Anode Parasitic Suppression for Modern Ampli-
lightly in its socket caused both tubes to fier Tubes," OST, Oct 1988, pp 36-38, 66 and
tube while 12 V was connected to the fila- light. Examination of the tube base showed 89. -Ed.
ment pins. Once again, following consider- slight signs of heating on pin 1. (I just
able internal sparking, the filament couldn't believe that a 3-500Z's filaments MORE ON 3-500Z FILAMENT PINS
suddenly lit brightly. I immediately shut off might bum out after only 3 Y2 years of use!) The 3-500Z triode, a vacuum tube rated for up
5-22 Chapter 5
to 500 watts of anode dissipation, remains The first thing I noticed was that the PLATE-CAP CONNECTORS
popular in commercial and amateur-built RF affected filament pin was very hot. (I had
power amplifiers; the aoo-watt 3-4002 pre-
removed the tube immediately after it
o Heat-sink plate caps are nice to have,
ceded it. John C. Norback, W6KFV, described but some of us that build amplifiers don't
"Fixes for 3-400Z and 3-500Z Tubes"-hints failed.) In fact, it was so hot that solder had run 3 kW. If you have gone into an
on how to clear filament-to-grid short circuits melted and run out of the pin! Although electronics supply house lately and asked
and cure intermittent filament operation in it is possible that a poor solder connection for a plate cap, you probably got puzzled
these tubes. Our next three correspondents in the pin could have caused resistance
have more to say about the 3-500Z's filament. looks and a profusion of dusty boxes flying
heating, I am quite sure that the pin was out of a back room.
Hints and Kinks prefaces their remarks with
well soldered because I hadcarefully resol- A suitable cap can be made from a
this caution: If your tube fails under warranty,
use that warranty and contact the tube dered it myself. block-style fuse holder. Do so by drilling
manufacturer for advice before attempting to I suspect that the real culprit is poor out the rivet that holds the fuse clip to the
modify or repair your tube.-Ed. spring tension in the socket contact. which plastic block, then use a hammer to form
leads to poor contact between the socket
o The output power of my home-made contact and pin, and hence to resistance
the clip completely around a metal rod
3-500Z linear amplifier suddenly dropped. having the same diameter as the plate cap.
heating of the contact and pin. Putting this The rivet hole fits a no. 4-40 screw for coo-
Inspection revealed that one of its 3-5OOZs thinking into practice, I replaced the socket
was unlit. Further checks showed correct nections.-Karl Kauffman, N/6H. Morgan
involved (it had been somewhat damaged Hill, California
filament voltage at the tube sockets. I by the heat anyway) and tightened the
replaced the tube but wondered why a fairly spring part of the contacts on my ampli-
new tube would develop an open filament. fier's other 3-500Z socket. KNIFE-SWITCH RESISTANCE FIX
A close inspection of the tube pins un-
covered the problem. During manufacture,
To date (about six months later), I have o If you're using a knife switch in your
had no further problems. The amplifier. by station-I use one at RF-check the resistance
the tube pins are force-fitted over tube-base the way, is a Heathkit SB-220.-Wayne
wires. Apparently, in areas with high between the blade and its pivot. Erratic switch
Mills, N7NG, Box 1945, Jackson, WY performance puzzled me until I checked the
humidity like ours, the contact between the 83001
pins can become lossy. One of the filament resistance of my switch: 4 ohms! A flexible
pins was so loose I could turn it on its o I don't believe that manufacturers build jumper (braid is suitable) from blade to pivot
underlying wire! After much experimenta- these tubes with bad filament-pin solder solved this problem.-Jack Nelson, W2FW,
tion, I have found a way to restore the relia- connections. The problem is created by Schenectady, NY
bility of the tube-pin connections. loose tube sockets. Loose pins in the socket
Wrap the 3-5OOZ in a towel or other soft cause high-resistance filament-pin-to-socket QUICK REPLACEMENT FOR
cloth. Lay the tube on a rug or towel placed connections, further causing the pins to MULTIPIN CONNECTORS
heat up and the solder to drop down in the
on your workbench. With a high-wattage
pin and cause an open circuit.
o After I bought a Collins R-392 receiver
soldering gun or iron, unsolder the bottom at a summer swap meet, I discovered that
of the pins on the filament wires. (Attach Cure: On my Drake L75 amplifier, I in- I couldn't test it because I didn't have a
a large heat sink to the wire between the stalled a new tube socket and, using a
mate for its power connector. Here's one
pin and the tube base to avoid overheating jeweler's torch, resoldered the pins with EZ
solution to this problem. Obtain a package
the wire-to-glass seal.) Using a drill bit that Flow silver solder. End of problem. Before
of solder less butt-splice connectors (wire
just fits inside the tube pins, ream the in- replacing the socket, I had the same 3-500Z
size no. 22-18 in this example). Count out
fail twice.-Pau/ "Van" Van Bolhuis,
side of the pins until they're clean and one for each of the pins you wish to access
W4ZBD, R 4-Box 17D Pumphouse Rd,
bright. Resolder the pins carefully and wipe on the equipment plug. Crimp one end of
the newly soldered pins with solvent to re- Westminster, SC 29693 each of the solderless connectors just
move remaining rosin. I have used this 2C39 HEATER CONNECTIONS FROM enough for a snug, sliding fit on the
method on several intermittent-filament SO-239 CENTER PINS equipment-plug pins. "Hard crimp" con-
tubes with good success.-Jim Brenner. o Searching for a means of making a con- necting wires to the other ends of the
NT4B, 5690 S W 36 A ve, Ocala, FL 32674 nection to the female heater terminal on a solderless connectors, and slide the con-
o Having had considerable experience 2C39/7289 tube, I found that the center nectors onto the appropriate pins of the
with 3-500Z failure related to apparent collet of an SO-239 coaxial jack fit the bill equipment plug. (If you use uninsulated
filament-pin-soldering failure, I am nicely. (Secure the 80-239 in a vise, solder butt splices, slip a short piece of insulating
beginning to wonder if the real problem cup up. Several sharp hammer blows to the tubing over each splice to avoid short
is how the wires are soldered into the solder cup will drive the collet out of the circuits between the equipment pins.) I have
pins. Because I had very carefully cleaned 80-239 center insulator.) If better contact successfully used this method to furnish
and resoldered the intermittent filament is needed between the 50-239's female speaker, mic and power connections to
pins with each repair, I looked more care- heater terminal, the slit end of the collet can several pieces of equipment.-Ken
fully at the problem the last time it be flared slightly by careful bending. Kolthoff, K8AXH/6, Vandenberg AFB,
occurred. -Harry Conowal, WA40FS, 2007 California
Peachtree Blvd, St Cloud, FL 32769
Construction 5-23
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CHAPTER 6===========:======
TestGear
INTERFACING THE WB20SZ
......-- COUNTER TALKER _ _
TALKING FREQUENCY DISPLAY
WITH THE D1GIMAX D·500
U13, PIN ~ ~
, ~ JI
(
PI
,, f
FREQUENCY COUNTER 2 ,
o On behalf of a blind ham acquaintance,
U13, PIN 3
s
( I 2
i
Ut3, PIN 10
, ( I' f
1 built WB20SZ's talking frequency
display! from the semi-kit available from
U13, PIN 12 •
5
(
I.
I
,5
i
U13, PIN 5
, ( f
A & A Engineering.' After I got the talk- Ut3, PIN 14
6
, ( ,6
f
'.
'6 #F ENABLE INVERTER
ing display working, I discovered that the 7 17
i
-L Ut4, PIN t4
,
1~
2 2V /(
e
,~,
transceiver at hand (an ICOM IC-701) did SWI ( TJ
,
PIN5~
not have the multiplexed display necessary C Ut4, PIN 15
9 /( ,9
i 4049
for proper operation of the talking display
circuit. An interface could be built to solve
R1
" R2
.--. NC 10
, ( Ito
'" f
o NC
this problem, but the necessary intercon-
33 k!l. U14, PIN 9 I
"
12
( 1
12
,.
NC
nections would require significant disas- rl-, \3 ,\3
f
sembly of the transceiver.
k = 1000 U14, PIN 12 ~ , (
,'" f
T = TANTA LUM SPKR (
I
As an alternative solution, I decided to U14, PIN 13 I
15
( I t5
f
apply the talking frequency display to the '6 ( 1t6
f
DigiMax D-500 frequency counter. After I 17 I "7
GNO
I ta
(
,
'iB
f
a number of unsuccessful trials, I arrived 5
at the configuration shown in Fig 1.3 19 , (
+12V
I 20
, ( 1
12 0
19
f
Briefly, I attached the appropriate leads ( f
from the "talker" to the outputs of the
D-500's 451 I BCD-to-7-segment-display
driver IC, and the appropriate talker strobe Fig 1-These interconnections and modifications allow the WB20SZ talking frequency
lines to the inputs of the D-500's digit driver display to be used with the OigiMax 0-500 counter. Resistors are 1f4 W, carbon film; S1 is
(a 75492). (Do nol use the outputs of the a normally open push button. P1 is mounted on the talking display board; J1 terminates
the ribbon cable that connects to P1. U9F, on the talking display board, was unused in
75492. I spent considerable time trying to the original display circuit; here, it serves as an inverter. U3 is the zane microprocessor
get this to work before I gained access to on the talking display board. Part designators U13, U14 and SW1 are OigiMax
a scope and found that the 75492's output nomenclature for components in the 0-500 counter. See text.
waveforms are unusable.) I used inverting
hex buffers (4049s) at U9 and UIO on the
talker board; no input level shifting is
required (see the talking frequency display
article). Loading on the counter circuitry The values of CI, Rt and R2 were deter- ter, press SI, ENABLE, and hold talker and
is minimal. mined more by parts I had on hand than transmitter on until speech readout ends.
A transceiver's frequency display is through optimization; other values may I connected the 2o-conductor counter-to-
available continuously, but the D-500 dis- work better. With the values shown in talker ribbon cable to the D-500 counter
plays only 0 until an incoming signal is de- Fig 1, useful talking frequency measure- board by means of careful tack soldering.
tected. Thus, the talker, when used with a ments can be made in the D-500's higher The stiffness of the cable makes this task
frequency counter, must be triggered at the resolution. setting in direct and prescaled tedious, but I was able to stabilize the wires
beginning of a display period. This is ac- modes. Thus, the talker/D-500 combina- sufficiently by fanning the end of the cable.
complished by C I, R1 and R2 in Fig I. tion is useful for all frequencies up through I repackaged the talker, counter and
These components generate a pulse when the 70-cm ham band. speaker in a metal cabinet. The D-500's
the D-500's embedded decimal point lights. When the D-500's prescaler is in use, 8-digit display is visible through a slot cut
This pulse is fed to inverter U9F (unused some mental translation of the talker out- in the cabinet; this makes the D-500's full
in the talker circuit) on the talker board. put is required. This is necessary because precision available to a sighted helper if
The output of U9F is connected to pin 12 the talker was designed with emphasis on necessary. For routine frequency checks, I
of PI (RESET) on the talker board. S! ena- HF readout, and because its chip set can suggest feeding the transmitter into a
bles the talker circuitry. speak numbers only up to "fifty nine." As dummy load and routing RF to the coun-
a result, the D combination
w500/talker ter via an M-358 coaxial tee. To avoid over-
speaks "Fourteen seven eight one oh" driving the counter, couple the transmitter
when the counter displays 147.810 MHz. signal to the counter input by means of a
1John Langner, "A Talking Frequency Display," The values I chose for Ct , RI and R2 5-pF capacitor.
OST. Apr 1985. pp 14-17. provide a characteristic I hadn't sought: I thank Dan Burton of DigiMax, and
2A & A Engineering.
erhe similarity between the circuits of the Two display cycles must occur before the John Langner, WB20SZ, for their encour-
DigiMax D·500 and ·1200 counters suggests talker is triggered. This useful accident agement and support in this project.-John
that the Fig 1 circuit should also function with assures an accurate count before talking E. Runninger, WB2LCP, Rome, New
the D·1200, and may fit inside the 0·1200 case.
This has not yet been tried, however.-Ed. commences. After activating the transmit- York
Test Gear 6·1
HOW TO MEASURE FREQUENCIES (PLL) tone decoder is another possibility," standard and measured signals. (For this
WITH YOUR RIG'S 10-Hz- but PLL decoders tend to be too drifty and application, we can safely assume that any
RESOLUTION FREQUENCY unselective to allow accurate resolution of frequency error in the WWV and CHU
DISPLAY tone frequencies to 10 Hz. carrier frequencies is so small as to be
o Maximally accurate use of the frequency Here's a technique for measuring CW or insignificant.) Note, however, that this
display on a modern transceiver is not carrier frequencies with any receiver or measurement technique does not determine
always as easy as just tuning in a signal and transceiver that: the sign of the measurement error (whether
reading the frequency display. All of the • Has a frequency display capable of the error is positive or negative) because we
modern, microprocessor-controlled trans- resolving frequencies to 10 Hz; don't know the sign of the display error.
ceivers I've seen indicate the suppressed- • Has "two VFOs" or at least two Another caution: Although this frequency-
carrier frequency on SSB. Because it's rare memories; and measurement technique works with trans-
that any two people will tune a given SSB • Receives a WWV or CHU frequency ceivers as well as it works with receivers,
signal for identical recovery of the base- within a few megahertz of the signal you it is not a substitute for a given manufac-
band audio, it's hard to suggest a practical wish to measure. turer's instructions on how to set the trans-
technique for getting better accuracy out Neither a notch filter nor a sidetone mitter in a transceiver to zero beat with an
of a rig's lO-Hz-resolution display during oscillator is necessary for measurements incoming signal.
SSB reception. with this method, and you don't need to A closing comment on "zero beating":
Improving the accuracy of such a display build or buy outboard gizmos. The Two signals are said to be "at zero beat"
during CW reception is a different story. following instructions refer to a receiver when they are perceived as being at exactly
The display on a modern, microprocessor- with "two VFOs" and a VFO AlB switch; the same frequency. The only way to assure
controlled transceiver correctly indicates use any adjacent pair of your receiver's true zero beat is to compare the signal fre-
the frequency of an incoming CW signal memory channels if you can't toggle quencies directly. This is most often done
only when the rig is tuned to place the between "VFOs." aurally (with a receiver) or hy means of a
signal at a particular point in the IF pass- 1) Set the receiver to CW (same mode frequency counter. A zero-beat technique
band. In practice, placement of the signal on hath VFOs). that makes use of an intermediate
at this point is achieved with the help of 2) Using VFO A, tune in the signal ("transfer") oscillator-such as a trans-
the transceiver's CW sidetone oscillator. you wish to measure. ceiver sidetone-is an indirect technique.
The sidetone-oscillator frequency is set such 3) Using VFO B, tune to the active Show me a zero-beating technique that lets
that the sidetone pitch is more or less WWV or CHU frequency nearest' to the me hear my signal in relation to the other
identical to the pitch of an incoming signal frequency you wish to measure. Adjust the signal, and I'll show you a separate receiver
correctly situated in the passband. To receiver tuning so that the frequency dis- and transmitter!-WJ1Z
measure a frequency (or to set the trans- play indicates the carrier frequency of the
mitter on the frequency of the incoming standard station exactly (7.33500 MHz, for USING A RECEIVER TO FIND TUNED-
signal), you just key the sidetone, zero-beat example). Make a mental note of the carrier CIRCUIT RESONANCE
the incoming signal with the sidetone, and pitch. o You can find the resonant frequency of
read the correct frequency from the rig's 4) Switch back to VFO A. Retune the an inductor/capacitor combination if it
frequency display. signal you wish to measure so that its pitch falls within the tuning range of your
As Brice Wightman reminds us in "Use matches that of the standard-station carrier receiver. Connect the components as a
Your Transceiver's Notch Filter as a Zero- (VFO B). Toggle back and forth between parallel tuned circuit in series with the
Beat Indicator," (p 8-2) the drawback to VFOs A and B and adjust VFO A until the antenna lead as shown in Fig 2. With the
this tuning procedure is that the sidetone pitches match as closely as possible. (There receiver tuned for minimum signal or noise
oscillator may not really be where the rig's will likely be some error because of the response, the receiver frequency display
frequency-control and -display circuitry limited resolution afforded by the receiver's shows the approximate resonant frequency
"expects" it to be. Brice suggests one way tuning steps.) of this tuned circuit.
of getting around this: Use the rig's notch 5) Once you've matched the pitches,
filter as a tunable audio marker. the receiver's display indicates the fre-
But what if you don't want to tie up your quency of the incoming signal to within
rig's notch filter, or if the rig doesn't have 30 Hz or so.
a notch filter or sidetone oscillator? Several I like this technique because it sets
equipment manufacturers now offer excel- frequency-display error (if any) to zero at
lent general-coverage receivers as adjuncts the standard frequency. What measure- II RECEIVER
to their ham-transceiver lines. Generally, ment errors you do encounter depends on II ANT
these receivers are more operationally your ability to match pitches, the error (in
flexible than the general-coverage-receiver parts per million [ppm]) of your frequency TUNED CIRCUIT
UNDER TEST
portions of the transceivers that comple- display and the frequency separation
ment them; like transceivers, these receivers between the standard and measured signals.
tend more and more to include frequency If you don't know your receiver's display Fig 2-lf the resonant frequency of an
displays capable of lO-Hz resolution. accuracy, assume that it's "on the edge of inductor/capacitor combination falls within
There's only one rub: What do you use for the tuning range of your receiver, you can
spec." Example: For a display with a find resonance with this circuit.
a reference tone in determining the fre- maximum error of ± 10 ppm (10 Hz per
quency of an incoming signal? Receivers megahertz), a 17.1-MHz measurement
don't have sidetone oscillators as trans- based on the IS-MHz WWV signal would This technique can be used in situations
ceivers do. Brice Wightman's notch-filter be off by 21 Hz (2.1 x 10), assuming a where a dip meter is impractical, such as
technique works with receivers and trans- perfect match between the pitches of the when the tuned circuit under test is inside
ceivers, but it ties up the notch filter-if the a shield can or inaccessible because of its
receiver has one. You can use an outboard position. There is often no need to remove
audio oscillator, of course, but mixing its or otherwise isolate the tuned circuit
output with the receiver audio presents a from the associated circuitry.-Gordon
problem, especially if you're wearing head- 4Rich Erhardt, "A Precise Tuning Indicator for
General-Coverage Receivers," QST, Sep 1987, Crayford, VE6EI, Lacombe, A Iberia,
phones. An outboard phase-locked-loop pp 22·24. Canada
6-2 Chapter 6
USING A RECEIVER AS A capacitor leads (don't cut the leads short).
NEUTRALIZATION INDICATOR The measurement procedure is as
o Ham lore has it that grounded-grid Digital follows: Find the total inductance .of the
amplifiers need not be neutralized. but this Multimeter test clips, the capacitor leads and the
is true only at frequencies at which capacitor itself. Do this by shorting the test
reactances in the tube(s) and amplifier OHMS clips together and measuring the text
circuitry do not encourage positive feed- fixture's self-resonant frequency (always
back. I was reminded of this when I built somewhere at VHF) with the dip meter.
a grounded-grid amplifier using parts I RS AOJ (Couple the dip meter to the loop
already had on hand. The tubes I ~~ Mn comprising the capacitor, leads and test
vvv v v v"'-' NC
clips for this test.) Because you know the
used-S05s-work weII as class-B audio
amplifiers but were not designed for I ,
, Mn
, value of the capacitor, you can find the
grounded-grid RF service. This grounded- total L by using the formula
grid amplifier required neutralization! My RS
L = I + 4.. 2f 2C (Eq 2)
neutralizing technique requires only a
receiver(or transceiver in receivemode) and where
RX
an antenna. L = inductance in henrys
First, remove all power from the M"" 1,000,000 f = frequency in hertz
amplifier and be sure its high-voltage filter C = capacitance in farads
capacitors are safely discharged. Next, Fig 3-Cornelio Nouel measures resis- With the 47-pF capacitor I used in my
tances above the highest range on his DMM
hardwire the RF contacts of the amplifier with the help of this circuit and Table 1.
test fixture, the total L worked out to be
TR relay into the transmit mode. Connect 0.086 JLH. I wrote this inductance on a
the receiver to the amplifier input and the paper label and fastened it to the test fixture
antenna to the amplifier output. Tune in for future reference.
a steady signal and peak the amplifier tank To measure the inductance of a low-L
circuit for a maximum S-meter reading. Table 1 inductor l clip the test fixture across the
Adjust the amplifier neutralizing capacitor DMM Readings for Rx Valuas with ends of the inductor and measure the new,
for a signal null. Finally, return the TR R.=2MII lower resonant frequency with a dip meter.
relay wiring to normal. The amplifier is Reading, Rx, Reading, R x, Then, find the total inductance of the
neutralized. MIl MIl MIl MIl unknown inductor and the test fixture with
I like this technique because it can be ,.,,1 2.5 1.636 9.0 Eq 2. Since you already know the
done when nothing in the amplifier is hot, 1.200 3.0 1.868 10.0 inductance contributed by the test fixture
thermally and electricalIy.-Scotl Reaser, 1.273 3.5 1.765 15.0 (0.086 JLH in my case), you can find the
K6TAR, Pacific Palisades, California 1.333 4.0 1.818 20.0 unknown L by subtraction.-Richard L.
1.428 5.0 1.875 30.0
Editor's Note: Although neutralization of the 1.905 40.0 Measures, AG6K, 6455 La Cumbre Rd,
1.500 6.0
amplifier went well, K6TAR later reported that the
1.555 7.0 1.923 50.0 Somis, CA 93066
rig didn't pan out. Showing true ham spirit, Scott
penned this note on the back of his publication 1.600 8.0
release form: "Please note that although I think STRAY CAPACITANCE AFFECTS
the idea I submitted has merit, that particular INDUCTANCE MEASUREMENTS
application was a disaster. Case in point: 805
tnodes made a lousy linear, even if the tubes were o As I calibrated my version of the
freel Subsequent to my original communication, that correspond to selected values of Rx L-Meter, 5 measurement errors confused
I started over with the amplifier. Rebuilt with a for R s = 2 MO. (Any reasonable value me until I realized what was happening.
single 3-5OOZ and a Hypersill!l transformer supply, can be used for Rs; I settled on 2 Mil
the amplifier works nicely. The lesson is to use Although a coil of wire exhibits inductance,
parts designed for the application." because that value fit the components I had there is also distributed capacitance
on hand.) Using a pocket calculator, between the turns of the coil. Because the
EXTEND THE RESISTANCE- resistance values up to 50 MO can be de- L-Meter (an oscillator) depends on tuned-
MEASUREMENT RANGE OF A DMM termined with reasonable accuracy.- circuit resonance to measure inductance,
o My digital muItimeter (DMM) measures CornelioNouel, KG5B, 4966 Paseo del Rey the inductance and distributed capacitance
resistance up to 2 megohms, and this is Dr, Brownsville, TX 78521 of the inductor under test are factors in its
adequate in most cases. When I need to inductance measurements.
measure resistances higher than 2 MO, I use MEASURING THE INDUCTANCE OF When an inductor is measured on a
the circuit shown in Fig 3. When two resis- LOW-L INDUCTORS reactance bridge or Doyle Strandlund l s
tors are connected in parallel, the resultant o In "Calculating Power Dissipation in gadget.f the inductor's capacitive
resistance is always lower than the value of Parasitic-Suppressor Resistors" (QST, Mar reactance cancels part of its inductive reac-
the lower resistor. The unknown resistance 1989, pp 25-2S), I stated that the amount tance. This results in an inductance reading
can be found from the formula: of inductance used in a parasitic suppressor less than the actual inductance of the
has a large effect on the HF power dissi- inductance under test. Distributed
R_RsXRT (Eq I) capacitance has the opposite effect in
x - Rs RT pated in the resistor. Because the
suppressor-resistor power dissipation can- measurements made with the oscillating
where Rx is the unknown resistance, Rs is not be calculated without knowing the in- L-meter: The measured inductance of the
the standard resistance (2 MO in this case) ductance of the suppressor inductor, a component under test appears to be greater
and RT is the value indicated by the method of accurately measuring values of than the actual inductance of the
DMM. small inductance is useful. Here's how I do part.-Herbert T. Bates, KADCAG, 1622
As Fig 3 shows, my Rs consists of a this without' exotic test equipment. Fairview A ve, Manhattan, KS 66502
1.2-MO fixed resistor in series with a I-MO The items required are a dip meter, a
potentiometer (wired as a rheostat); I adjust disc-ceramic fixed capacitor (with 1Y2- to
the pot so that Rs = 2 MO. Next, I 2-inch-long leads) of a known value
connect R x to the circuit and read RT on between 30 and 62 pF, and two miniature SAlfReinertsen, "The L-Meler," QST, Jan 1981,
pp 28-29.
the DMM. Then I solve for R x with Eq I. copper test clips. Construct a test fixture 6Doyle Strandlund, "Amateur Measurement of
Table 1 shows the DMM (RT ) readings by soldering the miniature test clips to the R+jX," QST, Jun 1965. PP 24-27.
0.002 0.01
28,300.00 kHz (28.30000 MHz).' Turn on
its marker generator and set its MODE MPF102
J:' ;L~'
switch to lower sideband (LSB). If the lN34A G
transceiver allows adjustment of its IF INPUT o----l t-~--+"''''''-~
bandwidth during LSB reception, set its IF 0.01
~,
lN34A 0.01 Fig 4-The pitch of Dale Hunt's voltage-
1MO
bandwidth to maximum. Tune upward in
frequency-slowly. When the frequency
display reads 28.300.05 or so, you may
J/' controlled oscillator rises with increasing ac-
signal amplitude at the INPUT terminal.
~"
-AK7M
8Adjusting the radio's IFSHIFT control to produce R2
lower-pitched background noisemay help some- 1 kO
what; on the other hand, 50 Hz may be a bit too
low for some transceiver audio systems to
reproduce anyway. If so, keep tunrng; you'll ...-----1 Ground
probably hear the signal between28.300.10 and
28.300.20.-AK7M
6-4 Chapter 6
high-impedance load. Because we some-
times need to inject audio into low- os
impedance circuits, we sought to adapt 51
this circuit to drive a wide range of load HOT F HOT
impedances. Our solution: a one-tran- (BLACK) 3A ON LIMIT OFF
sistor buffer amplifier with a low output POWER
LIMIT ON
impedance. p
MOMENTARY
Fig 5 shows the circuit as applied to the 120 V GROUND LIMIT OFF DEVICE
,,,
UNDER
Handbook audio oscillator. Both stages AC (GREEN)
,, GROUND TEST
can be built on a small piece of perf board.
'* ,
Our version isn't housed in a case. Mount- rh L_-O GROUND '* *
ing the battery on the board with a small NEUTRAL NEUTRAL
clip makes the entire unit hand-holdable. (WHITE)
The injection probe consists of an insulated ~ IF METAL ENCLOSURE USED
piece of stiff hookup wire. A clip lead con- ** SEE CAPTION
nects the commons of the probe and the cir-
cuit under test. Fig 6-Lew Howard's current limiter uses an incandescent lamp to prevent serious equip-
Set up the circuit as follows: Experiment ment damage should a short circuit occur in the device under test. If you build the current
with the values of R1 (the oscillator collec- limiter into a metal enclosure, be sure to connect the mains ground wire (green) to the
tor resistor, starting with 3.3 kO as the enclosure. It's also a good idea to add a GROUND binding post (connected to the mains
ground wire) to the current limiter for use with equipment having two-wire ac cords. This
Handbook suggests) to find a resistance allows the chassis of the device under test to be connected to the ac mains ground for
that's high enough to prevent appreciable safety. Speaking of safety: Contact with the ac mains can kill you. Be careful when con-
distortion, yet small enough to still give a structing and using this circuit.
strong output signal. (We settled on 5.1 kIJ OS-100-W, tao-v incandescent lamp in P-120 V ac cord set with plug.
for our application.) Next, disconnect the ceramic socket. Other wattages may be S1-SPST toggle rated 3 A (or more) at
oscillator from the 9-V supply by unsolder- useful; see text. 120 V ac.
F-3-A, 250-V fuse in panel-mounted 52-SPOT on, center-off, momentary-on
ing one of Rl 's leads. Measure and note toggle rated 3 A (or more) at 120 V ac,
holder.
the de voltage across the buffer-stage emit- J-120 V ac jack.
ter resistor (R2). Experiment with differ-
ent values for the buffer-stage base-resistor
(R3) until you find a resistance that causes
about one-half of the power supply voltage
(4.0-4.5 V for a 9-V supply) to appear When 81 is turned on, the brightness of lamp-say, 40 W or less-and working up in lamp
across R2. Reconnect Rl. This completes DS indicates the absence or presence of a wattage until even a high-wattage lamp-200 W
or so-is not lit to full brillianceby the currentdrain
adjustment. short-circuit fault in the device under test. of the device under test.)
Our injector's audio output is adjustable If the lamp burns at full brilliance, a short You can also use a light-bulb current limiter to
fromOto 150mV. The buffer's output im- circuit exists. If the lamp burns at partial reduce the heat of a soldering iron. Plug the iron
pedance is about 65 n. The circuit draws brilliance, the device under test is probably into J and try lamps of different wattagesuntil the
iron's temperature is where you want it.-AK7M
6 rnA at 9 V, so battery life should be suffi- sound. S2 can be set to LIMIT OFF to apply
cient for many hours of testing.-Daniel 120 V ac to the device under test if all
C. Swenson and Robert Jensen, WA8ASV, appears well; pushing S2 to MOMENTARY
Y INPUT
Waseca, Minnesota LIMIT OFF does likewise as long as the
A SIMPLE CURRENT LIMITER FOR switch is kept in this position. Should the
EQUIPMENT TESTING device under test fail with full mains volt-
age applied, the fuse, F, provides much
o Many years ago, when I was installing better protection than the 15-A fuses or X INPUT
and servicing electron microscopes as a breakers that are standard in house wiring.
field representative for RCA, one of the Of course, this device is nothing new and
most important items in my tool kit was a is certainly not an invention of mine. After INVERTER
rubber pigtail socket equipped with alli- listening to many woebegone on-the-air
gator clips and a 100-W, 120-V lamp. This discussions related to troubleshooting,
gadget was really useful for locating fuse- though, I felt compelled to share this bit CONNECT SCOPE PROBE
GROUND LEADS TO
blowing faults in power supplies and of knowledge-it may help save a lot of (A) GROUND OF CIRCUIT
associated equipment. Since then, I've gone fuses and expensive gear!-Lewis N. UNDER TEST
a step further and added switches and a Howard, W4LHH, 4132 Creek Stone CI,
fuse as shown in Fig 6. The result is a com- Stone Mountain, GA 30083
pact current-limiting unit that can be used
to check transformers and other equipment Properly applied, this circuit can also be used as
for short circuits. an aid to restoring vintage or long-unused
equipment-especially tran sformer-operated
The lOO-W lamp, DS, serves as a current equipmentthat has beenstoredunder humidcon-
limiting resistor. The device under test is ditions. ("Firing up" such gear cold may literally
plugged into J, and P is connected to a result in fire because of moisture-induced short (8) Ie)
120 V ac source. S2, LIMIT, is a SPDT (on, circuits in transformer windings.) Page 26-28 of
the 1988 ARRL Handbook discusses safe
center-off, momentary-on) toggle switch. procedures for burning in vintage gear with the
With S2 set to LIMIT ON, DS is in series Fig 7-Using the horizontal (x-exts) and
help of a variable-voltage autotransformer. Lew
vertical (V-axis) inputs of a single-trace
with the device under test across the ac line. Howard's current limiter can serve as a cheap-
and-dirty substitute for a variable-voltagetrans- oscilloscope as a dual-channel logic probe.
Full line voltage appears at J only if the Connect the X and Y inputs as shown at A.
former in this application if a suitable selection
device under test draws no current. The of incandescent lamps is available. (The lower a B shows the display when the inverter
more current drawn by the device under lamp's wattage, the higher its resistance. Usethe input is high, and C shows the display
test, the lower the voltage at J when 82 is lamp current limiter to power up vintage equip- when the inverter input is low. Scope
set to LIMIT ON. ment in steps by starting with a low-wattage sensitivity is 5 V/div in these examples.
eBC'.O;
the dielectric and braid after exposing the
BRAID FOLDED BACK
An Expansion on the KG6QY Method braid. The foil deflects heat from the
'n•• ED'
o Re Bruce Haldeman's connector- dielectric during soldering. Use a high-
J installation technique, I have always in- wattage soldering iron (100 W or more) and
~TIN
~=~-
f
Fig 3-Art Zavarella's PL-259-installation LENGTH BEFORE
hint. Left: Mini-8 foam-dielectric cable CUTTING
installed in a UG-176 reducer. This assem- 1---- 1•• "'-------I~ o,'2.!j" (2 PLACES 1
bly is ready for removal of the extra braid
wire (one bundle) that protrudes from the
bottom edge of the reducer. At right: a
PL-259 installed on RG-8 cable. The extra
braid wire (two bundles) has already been
cut off and the solder joints have been filed
flush. For outdoor use, be sure to seal the
cable jacket to the connector with epoxy or
RTV sealant. See text. SLIP COUPLING RING OVER
11-110" 1
OVER CABL.E
~ I::::~::-I
CUT AWAY CABL.E JACKET
o Here's my technique for assembling a AND TIN BRAID
PL-259 to cable: It,
I) Remove 1.8 inches of the cable sheath
as shown in Fig 4, and unravel the braid
back to the sheath.
2) Separate the braid strands into two
equal bundles and twist each bundle tight- CUT TINNED. BRAID WITH
ly. The bundles should be diametrically
opposite. Tin the ends of the bundles. Next,
12' COPPER TUBING CUTTER
(HALFWAY THRU DIELECTRIC)
bend and cut the bundle ends as shown.
DIELECTRIC
3) Remove all but 0.6 inch of the
exposed cable dielectric. Tin the end of the
center conductor, retwisting the center-
conductor strands first, if necessary.
4) Slip the connector coupling ring on (3'
1/2"
I CAREFUL.LY CUT THRU AND
REMOVE DIEL.ECTRIC
the cable-with the ring facing in the cor- (AVOID CUTTING CENTER
CONDUCTOR)
rect direction! Next, insert the end of the
cable into the connector body, feeding each
of the two shield bundles through its own
(diametrically opposite) holes in the con-
nector body. As always, slip the tinned TURN CONNECTOR CLOCKWISE
AND THREAD ONTO CABLE JACKET
cable center conductor into the PL-259 pin. 14'
Put the cable into the connector until the
cable sheath. butts against the connector SOL.DER CENTER CONDUCTOR
TO PIN
body. SOL.DER SHIEL.D THRU HOLES
5) Heat the connector hody with a high-
wattage soldering iron and continue to push
the cable into the connector until the Fig 5-Ralph Hirsch's technique for installing a PL M259
on RG--8 coaxial cable. see text.
dielectric passes the soldering holes in the
connector body. (Continue to pull the braid
bundles through the soldering holes as the ductor to the connector pin. quite a problem for hams of all ages and
cable moves further into the connector. Use 8) When the connector has cooled, experiences, especially when a UG-175 or
pliers to avoid being burned.) retrieve the coupling ring and assemble it -176 reducer must also be used. Many
6) Wrap the shield bundles around the to the connector body.-John Parnell. alternatives have been proposed to the
connector body (in the soldering-hole well). KQ3E, 15 Del Rio Dr, Yardley, PA 19067 standard procedure. The loose braid
Cut them off after about 1/6 turn. strands involved with some of these alter-
7) Solder the shield bundles in the Installing PL-259s at KIRH natives can cause problems. Here're two
soldering-hole well. Solder the center con- o Assembling these connectors can be PL-259-installation techniques (one for
7·2 Chapter 7
the tinned braid. If your iron will not work
SLIP COUPLING
RING OVER CABLE,
for this, use your high-wattage gun or iron
KNURL TOWARD THIS END
CUT AWAY CABLE JACKET,
to melt a small pool of solder in the holes,
AVOID CUTTING BRAID making sure that the surrounding metal is
thoroughly heated. (Usually. the solder will
<II not flow through the holes; instead, it pools
in the holes. While the solder is still molten,
SLIP REDUCER OVER CABLE
use a wooden match stick to push the solder
through the hole and into contact with the
tinned cable shield. Next, reheat the solder
_____ UN8RAID 'WIRES OF SHIELD so that it flows onto the tinned shield.)
Further application of heat to the connec-
(2) tor body should also cause some of the
MOVE REDUCER FLUSH WITH solder on the cable braid to melt, providing
CUT EDGE OF JACKET more braid-to-connector contact than just
afforded by the solder at the holes.
Next, solder the cable's inner conductor
CAREFULLY CUT THRU AND to the connector pin, being careful not to
REMOVE DIELECTRIC get solder on the outside of the tip. Using
(;, (AVOID CUTTING CENTER an ohmmeter, check the cable/connector
CONDUCTOR)
assembly for center-conductor continuity
COMB BRAID WIRES OVER REDUCER, WRAP COPPER FOI L and shield-to-conductor shorts. If all
OVER WIRES, TIN AND TRIM WIRES checks out, assemble the coupling ring to
the connector and your cable is ready for
r-f--mll---r.r-,-----...~TURN CONNECTOR CLOCKWISE
use.
TO THREAD ONTO ADAPTER For RG-58 cable: Because RG-58 is
(4'
smaller in diameter than the PL-259, a
SOLDER CENTER CONDUCTOR TO PIN UG-175 reducer must be used. This means
further that a different connector-
SOLDER SHIELD THRU HOLES installation procedure must be followed
than that appropriate for RG-8.
See Fig 6. Slip the coupling ring over the
Fig 6-The Hirsch method as applied to RG~58 and a UG-1.75 reducer. The secret of this
procedure is the copper foil used in step 3. See text and Fig 7. cable. Be sure the ring is facing in the right
direction! Next, slip the UG-175 reducer
over the cable with the -thin portion of its
barrel toward the free end of the cable.
Remove % inch of the cable jacket,
each size of cable) that eliminate loose braid being careful not to cut the braid. Using
strands and provide excellent electrical con- an awl or ice pick, completely unravel the
tact and physical strength, in addition to exposed braid. Move the reducer up the
good cosmetic appearance with no braid cable to where the thin end of the reducer
showing. barrel is even with the point where the
For RG-8 cable: Disassemble the PL-259 jacket was removed. Carefully comb the
connector and slip the coupling ring over shield strands back over the reducer bar-
the cable. Be sure the ring is facing in the rel, spacing them as evenly as possible.
right direction! Wrap a 1\/z-inch length of 3/16-inch-wide
See Fig 5. Remove 1-118 inches of the Fig 7-This reducer/cable assembly is self-adhesive copper foil (stained-glass foil
cable jacket, being careful not to cut into ready to be turned into the connector body.
Note the soldered copper foil cap at the
is suitable)! around the end of the reducer
the braid. Make certain that the shield is barrel so that the foil adhesive holds the
narrow end of the reducer.
not unbraided, then tin the entire exposed strands firmly in place where they are
portion of the braid. Using a copper-tubing folded over the end of the barrel.
cutter. cut through the tinned braid and Being careful not to melt the cable
about halfway through the cable dielectric beyond the holes, you're ready to solder it dielectric, solder the shield strands to the
at a point % inch from the free end of the to the connector. (Note: Depending on the foil. Start as close to the dielectric as pos-
cable. Using a utility knife, carefully cut diameters of the particular cable and fit- sible and continue over the foil to the other
through the remainder of the cable tings you use, it may be difficult to turn edge of the foil so that the shield strands
dielectric, being careful not to cut or nick the connector onto the cable. If this is the are soldered to both edges of the foil. Keep
the center conductor. Remove the excess case, apply a very small amount of the solder coat as thin as possible. The
braid and dielectric. Tin the exposed center petroleum jelly to the cable jacket. Be care- result is a small solder cap (the foil) with
conductor. ful not to get any lubricant on the cable unsoldered wires underneath. Using a
Slip the connector assembly over the braid, because it will interfere with the sol- utility knife or razor blade, trim off any
center conductor and, holding the cable dering necessary to complete the installa- excess shield strands. (Do not attempt to
steady, turn the connector clockwise ~o that tion. After you screw the connector onto lift these strands; cut through them against
it is threaded onto the cable Jacket. the cable, wipe off any remaining lubricant. the barrel. You'll probably cut through
(Assistance from a pair of slip-joint pliers Caution: Lubricants other than petroleum
may be necessary at this point. If so, grasp jelly may eventually soften the cable
the connector between its solder holes and jacket.)
tip on the knurled portion of the connec- There are two methods of soldering the
2A kit containing enough copper foil for several
tor.) As you do this, you'll see the tinned shield to the connector. One is to use a cablesis available from the authorfor $1.50 and
braid creep into sight through the solder small, pointed soldering iron and let the a large SASE. The ARRL and QST in no way
holes. Once the shield has moved just solder flow through the solder holes onto warrant this offer.
i -i.
of a PL·259 measures 0.155 inches. Some
lines require the brass tube, while others do connector on a cable end I've inadvertently
not.-Ed.] dropped in the mud! With luck, designed-
. .
llMorykote 41 is available from Eastern Bearings.
for-application protective caps can be
FILE COMB STRAIGHTENS BRAID
•
o Need to straighten the braid on bare
(B) lengths of coaxial cable and shielded wire?
Use a file comb to brush the braid along Table 1
its length.-Guy B/ack, W4PSJ, Fairfax, Furniture Leg Caps for RF Connectors
(C) Virginia Cap JD, inches Connector
STRIPPING COAX WITHOUT 3/8 female BNC
.NICKING ITS BRAID 1t2 male BNC
5t8 female N and UHF
Fig 11-WB5GDB's Hardline connector o Here's a reliable way of making sure 3/4 male N and UHF
(see text for explanation.) you don't nick coaxial cable's braid or
7·6 Chapter 7
located at fleamarkets. As a substitute, [
protect connectors with plastic caps
intended for use on metal furniture legs. OHMMETER
wire(s) against accidental pulls and length- to remove the "plastic mastic" from its
ening the connector's service life. (Dis- container at 95OF. What a mess! [I think this
assembling a glued connector is more problem can be avoided by refrigerating the
difficult than disassembling a "dry" one Coax Seal for a short time before use.
but it can be done.)-Bob Locher, W9KNl -Ed.]-Don Johnson, KD6DT, Livermore,
1445 Northwood Cir, Deerfield, IL 60015 California
TO SEAL OR NOT TO SEAL
STRAIN RELIEF FOR COAXIAL
CABLES D When Larry Wolfgang, WA3VIL, Fig 15-Photos of WB3DDM's strain relief
reviewed the Cushcraft R3 vertical antenna in place on his antenna.
D For some time now, I've been using
long-wire antennas in the inverted-vee con-
figuration. I feed the antennas ,,/4 from
one of the leg ends so that J can use coax
transmission lines. (Each leg is an odd
multiple 00-/4 in length.) Thus, the feed INSULATOR
a stationary object. With the flame from (QST, Apr 1980, p 19). Ferrite-balun in-
a propane torch, heat one wire where you formation in the Radio Amateur's Hand-
want a given insulator to be fastened. When book (Newington: ARRL, 1982, p 19-7)
the wire is hot enough to melt the ABS, and DeMaw's article on air-core baluns,
press the wire into the insulator notch. The "Simple Careless Baluns" (QST, Oct 1980,
heated wire will melt its way to the bottom P 47) led me to construct an air-core balun
of the notch in the ABS. Hold the wire in for my new triband quad antenna. (See
this position for about 15 seconds to allow also, "How to Build and Use Balun Trans-
the thermoplastic to cool and reharden, formers" (QST, Mar 1987, P 34).-Ed.]
trapping the wire. You can lessen the
cooling time by pressing a damp rag to the
insulator and wire. Repeat this operation
The problem of protecting my homebuilt
balun from adverse weather was trouble-
some (plastic food-storage boxes notwith-
I
until the line is completed. (Notes: This standing) until I discovered the answer at
operation can be done with two hands, but hand during a 3 AM feeding of my new-
it is much easier and faster with four hands. born son-his plastic baby bottle!
Don't overheat the wire; doing so may A 6-inch-long bottle holds a lO-trifilar-
cause the thermoplastic to decompose turn 1:1 balun on a l-Inch (outside dia-
and/or ignite.] meter) form. A 4:1 balun of 10 bifilar turns
neatly slips into a 4-inch bottle.
Lengthening the Feed Line's Service Life Construct the balun housing (see Fig 16)
The useful life of ladder line in windy by drilling the bottle bottom for the SO-239
areas can be extended by fastening a connector and its mounting bolts. Drill
Dacron cord or braided-Dacron fishing-line lI8-inch holes on opposite sides of the Fig 16-KA2F's baby-bottle balun housing.
tether (or tethers) to an insulator about bottle I VI inches from the top, and mount
halfway up the feed line. Pull the tether binding posts in them with solder lugs on
sideways to form an angle of about 45 and
0 the inside of the bottle. Fit the screw-on
fasten it to a stationary object. The tether collar with a I YS.-inch-diameter plastic disk
will keep the feed line from whipping to which a small eyebolt is attached. Seal project. Don't discard the nipple-it may
around in the wind and avoid flexing that the bottle threads and seams at the bind- prove useful as a pacifier sometime when
could eventually cause the wires to break. ing posts and 50-239 with a liberal coat- you fail to bust a DX pileup!-John P.
Two or three tethers; fastened to the same ing of silicone rubber to complete the King, KA2F, Little Silver, New Jersey
7-10 Chapter 7
SUPPORTS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
ANTENNA PRUNING BY NUMBERS length, and is light enough for rooftop from your favorite lumber store.
o Because they are approximations, the mounting. Including nylon guy ropes and Construction-grade lumber is fine, but
well-known formulas for antenna length in hardware, it can be built for about make sure each piece is straight and has no
feet (l005/f for a full wavelength, 468/f for $50-not bad for a 30- to 4O-foot skyhook. maj~r defects. A knot or two is okay.
a half wavelength, 234/f for a quarter This item first appeared in The ORC News- provided the knots are secure; no knotholes
wavelength, and so on, where f = letter. . please!
frequency in megahertz) don't always Purchase 16 furring strips (8-foot I X 2s) Make the middle section (Fig 17A) as fol-
provide on-the-nose results: Often, the lows. Measure 2 feet from one end of two
lengths they provide end up a little on the 8-foot furring strips and draw a line-
long side. (Irregularities in installation, ,perpendicular to the boards-across them.
proximity of nearby objects and other Run a bead of waterproof glue or construc-
factors account for some of the difference.) tion adhesive (such as "Liquid Nails")
A coax-fed, 7.2-MHz, half-wave dipole cut along the 6-foot length of one of the
to length per 468/f may show minimum marked boards, and overlap the 6-foot sec-
SWR at, say, 7.1 MHz instead of the design tion of the second board as shown in
frequency. This is where "cut and try" Fig 17A. Two feet of each board should
comes in: To lower the SWR at 7.2 MHz, extend beyond the overlapped section.
you cut a few inches off each leg of the C-clamp the pieces together before
dipole (the same amount off each leg!) and proceeding.
i0<S>;:0<S>0<S>&01~
measure the SWR again. Usually, several Further fasten the two pieces together
tries are needed to shorten the antenna " / Top View (while the glue is still wet) with countersunk
enough to minimize SWR at the design 1-1/4 No. B t1or-heod
wood sClewS, countersunk
no. 8 X 1lA-inch flat-head wood screws.
frequency. ond purtied (I prefer to drill a countersunk pilot hole
Here's the technique] use to minimize IAI in one board only, and then run in a screw.
Middle
cut-and-try antenna pruning in cases where Splitting of the non-drilled board doesn't
the antenna is too long to start with: seem to be a problem, and this makes for
I) Install the antenna per the appropriate a tight, permanent joint.) Put in a screw
formula and determine the frequency at I inch from the end of the overlap, and
which it exhibits an SWR dip. (If the an- every 6 inches thereafter. For maximum
tenna is indeed too long, the minimum- strength. alternate the sides that the screw
SWR frequency will be somewhat lower enters; this is not critical to the integrity of
than the design frequency.) the mast, however. Make sure the screw
2) Substitute the minimum-SWR fre- IB)
Bose ond Top
head is below the surface of the wood. and
quency for the design frequency in the putty the hole. This will prevent rusting of
antenna-length formula you used. and the screw heads. which can ultimately lead
solve the equation. The difference between to rotting of the adjacent wood.
the answer and your antenna's installed To make the base and top sections
length equals how much wire you must re-
f------B'----- ·1 (Fig 17B), follow a similar procedure, but
move from the antenna to move its
minimum-SWR point to the design fre-
quency.
----I Ie)
"fill" one end of both of these assemblies
with an additional 2-foot-Iong piece of
1 x 2, as shown. The base and top sections
Example: Based on the equation l005/f, Peok
are identical; one end of each of these sec-
a full-wave loop for 1.9 MHz should be tions is a 2 x 2 square.
528.9 ft long."but measurements show that Fig 17-8tan Kaplan's A-frame mast The peak section (Fig 17C) consists of
a loop of this length exhibits an SWR consists of 1 x 2 furring strips, glue, wood two 8-foot lengths of I x 2 held together
dip at. say. 1815 kHz. Per step 2 above, screws and eyebolts. This drawing details with glue and screws.
substituting 1815 kHz for the design the mast middle (A); bese and top (B); and Next, drill lA-inch-diameter holes, as
frequency in the full-wave length formula peak (C) sections. shown in Fig 18, in both ends of all middle
(1005 + 1.815) results in a length of 553.7
ft. Shortening the antenna by 24.8 ft (553.7
- 528.9) should move the SWR dip to
1.9 MHz.
-1\'5"1 ~':t1-
Using this procedure to adjust several II II
6 1/4 -dicmeter holes (4)
antennas, I have come very close, if not
right on, to moving the SWR minimum to
my design frequency with only one
antenna-length adjustment.- Wayne M.
-I-~ o
, 0
All holes
Sutherland, NQ7Q, PO Box 1721, on center
Laramie, WY 82070
AN A·FRAME MAST FOR HOME AND ::
FIELD DAY :l
l
~9
-
©- -~ 5 /16"X 6" eyebolts,
, -- - - -- i©l nuts and washers
© -- - - --~
Top
Sections
12"
o CB5 0
3D'
Middle PEAK
0 CB4 0 Sections
26'
© --~
,.../----- --F~ 5/16" -diam eyebolts,
nuts and washers
0 CB3 0
18'
n
CB1-5 : 1 x 2 cross braces
/lo • secu red with 1/4"-diam
/lo ~ Fig 20-Pulley placement on the A-frame
bolts , nuts and washers mast.
10' 0 CB2 0
Bo se furring-strip construction method is not sub-
Seeti ons stantial enough for heights above 40 feet.
A word about guy lines. For safety's
0 CB1 0 sake, don't skimp on guying. You can pur-
chase a 50-foot length of top-quality nylon
:--' '- "sash cord," which has a breaking strength
of about 600 pounds, for about $5. Nylon
is good because it doesn't rot, stretch or
lose strength when wet. Moreover, in my
experience, nylon cord can last for two to
three years of constant outdoor exposure,
Fig 19-Plan view of the A-frame mast. Cross braces CB1 through CBS consist of 1 x 2 which is more than can be said for hemp
stock cut to the appropriate length; install CBS first as described in the text. This mast and other types of natural-fiber ropes.
must be guyed at the top and middle. You'll need at least 50 feet for each of the
top four guys, and it's probably a good idea
to use that length for the four middle guys.
sections, and in the non-square ends of the Cut the bottommost one to 4 feet and Don't forget a halyard for each pulley-
top and bottom sections. Make sure these install it first. This provides ample separa- to hoist whatever you need to hoist.
holes are placed exactly 6 and 15 inches tion of the legs at the mast base. (Remember, for a 30-foot mast, each hal-
from the section ends, centered in the Fig 20 shows two eyebolts that have been yard must be over 60 feet long: The hal-
board. If you locate and drill these holes pried open to allow a pulley to be slipped yard must go up to the pulley and return
carefully, corresponding mast-leg sections in, and then closed again. Mount these pul- so you can tie stuff on!) To prevent tangles,
will be interchangeable. See Fig 19. Drill ley/eyebolt combinations at 90° angles to snake one end of each halyard between the
the top sections to pass, and then install, each other as shown, at least 8 inches apart mast cross braces. The other end of each
the four 6-inch-long, 5/16-inch-diameter vertically. You can use both eyebolts to halyard-to which you tie your dipole, ran-
eyebolts used to anchor the mast's four top anchor antennas, or an antenna on one and dom wire or whatever. must swing free of
guy lines. Install another pair of eyebolts a Field Day flag on the other. (lNe hoist the mast. Don't forget to tie on all guy lines
in the center of the mast's middle sections. our ARRL flag with the second pulley and string the halyards before you erect the
These anchor the mast's four middle guy when the wind isn't too high.) mast.-Stan Kaplan, WB9RQR, 11541 N
lines. The procedure I've described yields a Laguna Dr, Mequon. WI 53092-3119
Fig 19 also shows how the sections go 30-foot mast. You can add one more pair
AK7M: When installing this (or any) mast, be
together. The cross braces (CBl-CB5) are of middle sections to form a 38-foot mast. certain that it and its associated antennas can-
simply I x 21i cut to an appropriate length. Don't go higher than this, however: This not fall across or otherwise touch power lines.
7-12 Chapter 7
SPEED ANTENNA REPAIR WITH AN A pair of Vs, oriented perpendicular to The end-support ropes are tied to con-
APEX TEMPLATE each other (see QST, Aug 1982, P 45; venient trees. The V apex is about 70 ft high
o I have two inverted-V (drooping-dipole) Nov 1970, P 17), would guy the extension (over >"/4 on 80 metersl), and the ends are
antennas: one for 80 and one for 40meters. mast quite nicely. Unfortunately for us, about 30 ft high. The entire antenna is now
They must be taken down periodically for that setup would place one of the V legs above the house and the high-voltage ends
maintenance. Before I took them down the right over our neighbor's house. We didn't are safely elevated. The rotatable array
first time, however, I decided to develop even ask; instead, we angled the two legs seems more stable in high winds because
a means of ensuring that I could reinstall somewhat, in the horizontal plane, and of the guyed extension mast, and beam
them at their original apex "angles. Here's used a third guy (broken up into non- performance is unaffected by the V
the technique I use. For clarity, I'll discuss resonant lengths with insulators) to support antenna.
the installation of one drooping-dipole the mast. Since we wanted to lift the With this improvement, the 'BDN DX
antenna. 11,4 x 18-ft extension mast to the top of tally has soared from 16 to 37 countries on
After the antenna is initially installed and the beam mast manually, we chose
pruned, and has proven to be satisfactory. lightweight aluminum tubing as the best
stand about 50 feet away from the antenna material for the extension. Our feed point
and determine its apex angle by means of a and the guy line is mounted on a PVC Fig 21-Proper choice of the critical
clear-plastic protractor held at arm's length. assembly that rotates freely inside the top dimensions, h and a, allows one to
Then, transfer that angle to a 5- x 8-inch of the extension mast (see Fig 22). successfully place a wire antenna above a
rotatable array. (The turning radius of the
file card. The apex of the trace should just rotatable array is the variable, r.) Allow
touch the top border of the card. Cut off some extra height for wire sag. l
the card sections above the trace. On the
remainder of the card, record details of the
SEE FIG 22 ----.
antenna's construction for future reference,
such as installation date, height at apex,
apex angle, length of each dipole leg, r
frequency of adjustment and so on. h » tan {ClC.1
If the antenna must be taken down later
for maintenance, you can reinstall it,
or build a new one, by referring to the
information recorded on the card. Obtain
the original apex angle by standing at the
ROTATABLE
same spot as before and holding the cut ARRAY
WIRE
ANTENNA
card at arm's length. Even if you need to
build the antenna again from scratch, the
apex template can help you to duplicate the
INSULATOR
original antenna closely.-Anthony
De Vito, K20V, Medford, N'Y GUY LINE
75 meters! So try giving your inverted V a insulators can be found at almost any feed
lift!-Martin, W6BDN, and Daniel, store that carries electric cattle fence
N6BZA, Levin, Menlo Park, California supplies. Known as corner post insulators.
they cost about $2 for a package of 10. I've
"PIGTAILS" MAKE ANTENNA used several for over a year, and weather
ADJUSTMENT EASY does not seem to bother them.-Frank A.
o Wire-dipole and inverted- V antennas Reed, Jr, W6PWQ, Langlois, Oregon
often need trimming in place, even when MODIFIED WORK GLOVES
carefully cut to calculated measurements.
They are easy to shorten, but one may trim o Did you ever suffer from frosty fingers
off too much, or the calculated length may during tower climbing and antenna work
in cold weather? Not only is cold metal
lA) ,.)
"-
~
Similar U joints, used in farm machinery
and power take-off units, are available at ccccec ".'.•".;.'
farm-implement or hardware stores for $2 jlk
~"l
or less. A short length of l-inch-diameter
pipe, drilled to pass the rotator-to-joint
bolt, couples the rotator to the lower U
joint; the antenna mast is coupled to the
upper U joint in this way. The U joints are
coupled by a metal rod of suitable diameter
and length.-Jay Lowe, KA6RKR. 390/
Missouri, Joplin, MO 6480/
ITS' A STANDOFF
o Here's a versatile, low-cost tower side
mount for UHF and VHF verticalantennas
(Fig 29). You can find all of the material
necessary to build it-a lO-foot length of
¥i-inch-diameter. thin-walled steel electri- Conduit
cal conduit and two stainless-steel hose
clamps-at any well-stocked hardware
store. My standoff cost me a total of $5.50.
Make the standoff's two included angles Fig 29-Mike Ettenhofer uses a length
(e in Fig 29) 90 or more to keep the
0 HOlle
of electrical conduit and two all-
Clompa
horizontal part of the conduit from trap- stainless-steel hose clamps to side-
ping water. (If you ask nicely, the hard- mount a vertical VHF antenna on his
ware-store staff may even bend the conduit tower. Make e greater than 90 0 to
for you.) Put a plastic cap on the upper keep the standoff from trapping water
pipe end to keep water out. Also, be sure in its bends. If you cap the tube
bottom, drill a hole in the cap to allow
to make the standoff's lower vertical condensation to escape.
portion at least 36 inches long so you can
clamp it inside your tower. Other than
offering these two suggestions, I leave the
standoff's construction particulars up to
you.
Experiment with the standoff at ground
level to fmd a mechanically sound mounting
method. On my Rohn 25 tower, passingthe
conduit through a rung opening and nesting
the horizontal portion in the lower crotch
of a diagonal brace gave the most stability.
Once you've determined how to mount to yet-to-be installed guys, or to guys that
your standoff, use the hose clamps to can be temporarily detached at ground
fasten the standoff's 36-inch vertical level, is %-inch-ID, white-PVC pipe.
position to the inside of the back tower leg. Purchase a 20-foot section of pipe-mine
(Be sure to position the clamp's tightening cost about $4-at your local plumbing
screw and clamp-band tail inside the tower supply house and cut it to size (5-foot
leg: Metal protruding outside the leg could lengths are suitable). Fig 30 showshow steel
be dangerous to someone climbing the cross wires can be used to attach the pipe
tower.) to the guys. I used O.04I-inch, stainless-
Next, mount your antenna and feed line steel, safety-lock wire for this purpose; a
to the standoff. Once you've done this, singleguy-wire strand may also work. (You
adjust the standoff's bends so that every- may be able to install PVC-pipe guy sleeves
thing is square with the world (unless over undetachable guys by slitting the pipe
you're not bothered by a nonvertical lengthwise with a table saw. Properly
vertical antenna!). If everything passes placed, the cross wires can serve to close
inspection, mount the standoff/antenna Fig 30-Eliott Hood holds his PVC-pipe
protectors in place with steel wire. the resultant slits.)
combination in its final position on the After you've twisted the cross wires
tower.-Mike Ettenhofer, WB8VDG, Ann enough to give the protector a sufficiently
Arbor, Michigan tight grip on the guy cable, position the
speeding guy rusting. protector on the guy as appropriate. (Leave
PVC-PIPE GUY PROTECTORS Here are two alternative solutions. the twisted cross-wire ends long enough so
D I agree with Earl Anderson ("Wrap K·Mart and other stores carry slip-over that they can be bent back inside the PVC
Your Guy Lines," Hints and Kinks, QST, shower-curtain rod covers that can easily tube.)
Oct 1986, p 48) that guy cables should be be slipped over existing guys; these covers If you intend to paint your protectors,
visible. I prefer not to use pipe-insulating are available in a number of highly visible I suggest roughening the pipe's outer
sleeves for guy protectors, though: The colors. They are made of a plastic that surface slightly with PVC-pipe solvent or
sleeves' foam material absorbs water and brittles after four or five years of exposure sandpaper prior to painting.-E//iott
keeps a wet surface in contact with each to sunlight, Hood, NE9I, 5627 Danbury Dr, South
protected guy for prolonged periods, A better solution that's most easilyadded Bend, IN 466/4
7-16 Chapter 7
BEWARE YOUR CRANK-UP, only by the remaining end of the hinge SIMPLE AND INEXPENSIVE MOTOR
TILT·OVER TOWER I pin-and that had started to twist off when FOR CRANK·UP TOWERS
o We've all heard stories of crank-up the tower moved sideways! o Cranking up a tower by hand is a chore,
towers. Here's one that demonstrates I locked the winch and ran out from and commercial motor drives are expen-
potential danger standing in thousands of beneath the tower. There it stood. Which sive. A cast-off power unit from a chain-
backyards. was safer: Bringing the tower down or driven garage-door opener can do the job
Hurricane Gloria blew through putting it back up? I went indoors to think. inexpensively. In my case, I welded a
Connecticut in 1985. After coming home The hinge pin was equipped with a dowel bicycle sprocket to the winch assembly on
from the office just before the storm, I pin to keep the hinge pin from sliding out my tower and coupled a Perma Power ®
disconnected and walked my 48-ft vertical of the hinge tubes; that dowel forced the motor to the sprocket by means of a bicycle
antenna down in a minute or less. Then I hinge pin to rotate with the tower. It was chain. With the 6-inch sprocket I installed,
cranked my 60-ft tower down to 40 ft-a between the dowel pin and the center hinge the motor raises the tower in seven minutes.
level at which the Vagi mounted atop the tube that the hinge pin had sheared- A smaller sprocket would raise the tower
tower was just above the big maple that has apparently when I pulled the tower bottom faster, and might be a better choice.-John
grown up under it. (The tower had not been away from the ground post. The hinge pin R. Kersten, Wt>NY, Brainerd, Minnesota
lowered for six years; now that the tree was had apparently been frozen by rust in the
much larger than it had been when the center hinge tube (stationary on the ground A TOWER THRUST·BEARING COVER
tower was installed, lowering the antenna post). If the other end of the pin had also o Fig 31 is a drawing of a Volkswagen
would have to involve alternately tilting the sheared, the tower-with rotator and transaxle boot. The part is available at local
tower and lowering its top section in steps beam-would have come loose from the Volkswagen dealers and it serves well to
to keep the Vagi clear of the maple while ground post, lifting me into the sky before protect rotator thrust bearings from the
minimizing the overhung load on the tower falling off the post, and likely onto both weather. On a vehicle, the boot is installed
pivot.) of us. (Shirley would have been under the by wrapping it around the transaxle and
Initially, I cranked down the top tower tower at the tilt-over crank at the time.) fastening it closed with screws. Thus, it can
section. When the time came to tilt the Because the other end of the hinge pin be easily installed on an existing tower
tower, I called my wife, Shirley, to manage had not sheared, I reasoned that, contrary assembly with a minimum effort.-Robert
the winch as a check against my pulling the to what the tower manufacturer had Powell, KB6FNP, Lakewood, California
tower bottom away from the post too intended, the pin had turned in the other
quickly. Frustratingly, the tower would not end tube (welded to the tower) and was
pivot! Getting down closer to the ground, probably undamaged aside from being bent
I got a grip on the tower base and pulled when the tower moved sideways. It seemed
hard. Although the tower swung out into that cranking the tower back to vertical and
position, I did not see what had resisted the leaving it extended to 40 ft (to allow it to
pivoting. clear the tree) rather than cranking it to
I then assumed the cranking-over task, horizontal with the top section and Vagi
with Shirley guiding cables and latch-lock extended-a much greater load on the
pull ropes, and the 160-m antenna wire, hinge-would be much safer.
away from tree branches on either side of When the rain let up, I chained the tower
the tower. As I cranked, I could not believe to the top of the ground post, drilled out
my eyes as the bottom of the tower moved the end of the broken hinge pin, put a jack
slowly sideways-perhaps as much as a under the bottom end of the tower to take
foot! I locked the winch and grabbed the the weight off the broken hinge pin, and
bottom of the tower to halt its motion. The drove the broken pin out. At the same time,
tower seemed to be barely attached to the I replaced the old hinge pin with a stainless
top of the ground post at the hinge. I steel pin-which the tower manufacturer
secured the bottom end of the tower with should have used in the first place.
a line and decided to investigate this strange I would like to promulgate some words
behavior. of experience to fellow hams who own tilt-
The tower has a 10 x 10-inch steel plate over towers: Lubricate the hinge pin as best
welded into it; this plate is bolted flat you can. Painting it to keep the rain out
against the hinge plate on the ground post. is inadequate in the long run. If you have
The hinge consists partly of a 4-inch-long an old tower, beware of rust freezing the
heavy steel tube welded horizontally to the hinge pin at points you cannot see. If the
top of the 8-inch-diam ground post. Similar pin freezes, tilting the tower can easily shear
tubes on either side of, and aligned with, off the pin and drop the whole tower on
this tube are welded to the hinge plate that you. Rock the tower slightly before
bolts to the tower. I remembered that four cranking it over, and be certain you
I-inch bolts had secured the tower to the understand which part of the hinge pin
hinge plate. Could these have come loose should rotate in relation to the tower. Fig 31-KB6FNP suggests a Volkswagen
in six years of windstorms? No-inspection Don't be satisfied only with the fact that transaxle boot to cover and protect a
showed that they were unchanged. the pin appears to turn! rotator thrust bearing.
As I continued to inspect, I was shocked We all know that crank-ups are
and literally terrified to see daylight dangerous. (A local VHFer had both wrists Editor's Note: No doubt similar fittings are readily
through one of the two joints in the hinge broken when he reached to stop a flailing available at junk yards as well. Use your ingenuity
through which the hinge pin should have tower crank.) The hinge pin is an inobvious when fitting the boot to the mast. If the mast is
source of danger. Replacing it with a smaller than the boot opening, wrap the mast with
been visible. The heavy steel tower, canted sheet rubber to increase its diameter. If the mast
40° from horizontal, half extended, with stainless-steel pin is mighty good is too large, use sheet rubber to pad between the
Yagiand rotator heavilystressing the pivot, insurance.-Ned Raub, WIRAN, 12 mating boot surfaces. Sheet rubber can be
Deerfield Rd, Waterford, CT 06385 salvaged from tire shops that service commercial
was right over my head and held in place trucks. Heavy trucks still use tires with inner
I
(p 280) of Japan's CQ Ham Radio magazine.)
/ \ ~
A
"ECE_
o A full-size beam antenna is great-if IORK ~
you have the space for one. Many of us,
however, live in apartments and just don't PIECE ~ :::J SECTION A-A
have that space. Figs 35 through 38 describe J oe t,
the results of my experiments with a
(8)
miniaturized beam antenna in a E (sigma)
configuration. My antenna is mounted at
the top of a tower, about 15 m above the
building roof.
aOOM
SELF - THREADING
SCREWS AT FEED POINT
(A)
JUMPER
Fig 37-Details of the mounting-plate assembly (A) and element joint (8). Flatten the joint
slightly after assembly to prevent rotation.
400mm
I" 'i.
I
'i. , /
181 -, 1+
I
+
V
1
181 E
E
Y 40mm
I ~
1-+ + '~'/'~
4l rr J
18 18
mm mm
Fig 36-Drilling pattern for the mounting plate. [Dimensions are in mm; inches "" mm x 0.0394. Size holes and adjust locations to fit
locally available hardware. The mounting plate may be hardwood rather than plastic, or plastic sleeves may be used to insulate the
elements from a metal plate if a plastic plate is not available.-Ed.)
7·20 Chapter 7
A DOUBLE HALF-WAVE LOOP
Table 2 ANTENNA
Construction Materials for the IHere is some modern information on an
JG1UNE Sigma Beam Interesting antenna that has been in The ARRL
Antenna Book for years.-Ed.)
Aluminum tUbing:
2 pcs (I) -12 mm x 1.6 mt o Fig 39 shows an effective, easy to build
2 pcs (K) -12 mm x 1.7 m and inexpensiveHF antenna. The plans are
2 pcs (J) - 9 mm x 0.83 m from an old issue of QST that I bought at
2 pes (l) - 9 mm x 0.88 m the Wheaton Community Radio Hamfest
Boom: 32 mm x 1.0 m in 1984.' The more I read about the
Plastic dowel: 6 mm x 1.0 m double half-wave loop, the more interested
Acrylic plates: 2 pes-l00 mm x 400 mm I became; so I decided to give it a try. This
x 5 mm antenna can be built for any band (see
U bolts: Table 3), but I decided to try it for
4 pcs-12 mm diameter IS meters, because of the convenient size.
4 pcs-32 mm diameter
Self-threadin9 screws: 6 pcs Table 4 is a materials list for the IS-meter
antenna. Because the antenna is 85 inches Fi9 39-A photo of KA9LYR's completed
Rope: 1.5 m loop antenna.
wide, I suggest that it be assembled
tt.etters in parentheses are part Identifiers outdoors. The necessary materials can be
as shown in Figs 35 and 38.
Inches = mm x 0.0394; feet - m x 3.2808. found at most local hardware stores. ,
fl
'~ '~
For IS-meter operation, the hoops
should have a circumference of about
22.1 ft, with a 3-inch end gap. Each loop
is made of Yo -inch (ID) copper tubing.
Some snug fitting clear-plastic hose is • TO
" _BALUN
forced over the hoop ends to maintain the
INSULATOR
(TYPICAL!
gap (see Fig 40). The circles are mounted
so that the hoop gaps line up with each
other (see Table 3).
The two circles are mounted parallel to
6"~LONG
each other and separated 1.0 inch for each PLASTIC HOS!
meter of wavelength at the operating
frequency (I x IS ~ IS inches). PVC
SUPPOAT TUBE
tubing (V,-inch ID), a few tee fittings and
JUMPER
two electrical-junction-box covers form the i--NO.6 SCREW
IAI hoop-support structure (see Fig 41). Steel ~ __ STAR WASHER
pipe flanges are used at the center of the
3/8"~W1DE COPPER SHEET
spoke assemblies, and also on the 1lf4-inch FOR AOJ CONTACT POINT
mast pipe. __ WASHER
The hoop-support structure may appear __ NUT
BALUN weak, but it is not. Since I live in the windy
r Chicago area, I know how strong an
antenna must be to survive adverse
SUPPORT Fig 40-Construction details of the
TUBES weather. The PVC structure is flexible,
lightweight, durable and wind-resistant. individual
' hoops. The plastic hose must fit
tightly over the copper tubinq in order to
L
I wasn't sure how to construct a 72-0 hold the ends in place (A). Make two
K twisted-pair feed line, so I came up with a sliding clamps to feed the antenna (8).
different feed method using 52·lJ coax. At [Use stainless steel hardware to prevent
the suggestion of my brother Tom, corrosion.-Ed.] Place one clamp on each
WB9EAW, there is a I: I balun between the hoop, and position them on opposite sides
JUMPER tBI of the hoop center line (also see Table 3).
----------'
Fig 38-Varlatlons on the Sigma beam that
increase strength by reducing weight and antenna and the coax. I determined the
9J. Reinartz, W1QP, "Concentrated Direction
mechanical complexity. Wire is used for Antennas for Transmission and Reception," correct feed-line attachment points while
the element end sections at A, while all QS7, Oct 1937, pp 27-28. exciting the antenna with a dip meter. The
conductors are wire at B. Wire lengths are
the same as the tube lengths given in
Table 2.
GAP
Table 3
ends seem to have little effect on the
antenna impedance. My Sigma beam is fed
Dimensions for the Dual Half-Wave-Loop Antenna SPA::d f--
Frequency Circumference Spacing Gap Diameter
through a homebuilt I: I balun. (MHz) (Ft) (Inches) (Inches) (Ft)
I have contacted many Americans and 1.80 260.00 160 33.33 82.76
Europeans while using this antenna and 3.75 124.80 80 18.00 39.73
40 W of output power. The V antenna has 7.15 65.45 40 8.39 20.83
slight gain over a dipole, and I feel that the 10.Q7 48.45 30 5.96 14.79
Sigma beam provides the performance of 14.18 33.02 20 4.23 10.51
a V beam in a very compact package. 21.23 22.05 15 2.83 7.02
24.94 18.77 12 2.41 5.97
There's no need to give up DXing because 28.85 16.22 10 2.08 5.16
you live in an apartment. Try a Sigma 52.00 9.00 6 1.15 2.86 TO 1:1 BALUN
beaml-Aki Kogure, JGIUNE, TOkyo, 146.00 3.21 2 0.41 1.02 STATION
Japan
Antenna Systems 7-21
- Fig 41-0ne spoke of the PVC-pipe
41141111S-IN PVC TEE hoop-support structure. Use two no. 6-32
STEEL PLATE {TYPJ (TYPJ
screws, nuts and lockwashers to fasten
each spreader arm to the appropriate steel
7T
plate. Four similar sets of no. 6-32
hardware fasten the 3J4-inch flanges to the
(
3/4 - IN PIPE
3/4 -IN
FLANGE
plates. Use no. 10 hardware to fasten the
bottom plate to the 11J4-inch flange. All
arms are similar except for balun and feed-
TO 412- IN point details. Mount the balun on the
~:$~~~":II
TUBE COUPLER 412 -IN vertical PVC strut closest to the feed point.
PVC PIPE
(TYPJ
/
1-114 -IN 4-1/4 -IN
2LI50 MHz
No. 14 Stronded Copper or
Teflon - tnsulcted Wire
FLANGE PIPE MAST Element
2
box)
3!4-inch pipe flanges (steel)
o Having kept a quad antenna up and Cord
working for approximately 25 years, I'm (Four Places)
1 1V4-inch pipe flange (steel)
2 Sliding copper clamps to fit around sometimes asked how it's done. Sad
copper tubing (may be fabricated experience has been my teacher! My first
from 3/8- by 6-inch strip of copper quad was a W2AU design. It worked very
flashing) well, but its 20-meter element, and some-
1 ft Plastic tubing to fit snugly over ends times its I5-meter element, required
of copper hoops periodic patching because of ice- and wind-
46 ft V4-inch ID soft copper tubing
1 1:1 balun related flexing. Typically, element-wire
1 Can of PVC-pipe cement breakage occurred at the element
Assorted no. 6 hardware corners-where they're supported by the
4 No, 10 nuts and bolts (for tja-lnch quad's spreaders. Adding a two-wire (8)
pipe Ilenge) strengthener (see Fig 42A) at each element
corner solved this problem. Fig 42-With its elements constructed as
Teflonw-insulated wire is a better choice shown at A, Paul Atkins's quad has sur-
than stranded bare wire. Oxidization of the vived for over a decade without being
best setting was about 12 inches on each quad's original stranded copper wire was kayoed by the weather. Although bare no.
side of the balun. The SWR is low, and the the reason for this: Ten or so years ago, 14 stranded copper wire is shown for the
I noticed that the quad's elements had elements, Teflon-insulated no. 14 stranded
antenna seems to have good directivity. copper is better choice because of its
The major radiation lobe occurs on that turned green, and I took this as a sign that greater strength and weatherproofing, (If
side of the antenna closest to the current weather was taking its toll. (The quad's you use insulated wire, take care not to
loop (feed point). [Visualize the major lobe electrical performance was not affected.) nick the wire's strands when removing its
by imagining an arrow drawn from the Discovering that Teflon-insulated wire was insulation for soldering. If possible, use a
open hoop ends, across the middle of the available in odd lots at flea markets, I thermal stripper to do this.)
circle.-Ed.J Signal reduction appears in bought some. (It helped that I wasn't fussy Each corner strengthener consists of two
pieces of no. 12 or 14 bus wire 14 to 16
the opposite direction. The field-strength about insulation color!) inches long. After cleaning the element
gain in the forward direction appears to be The stock quad's spreaders were tied wire until it's bright and solderable, twist
about 28%, compared to a dipole. The together (Fig 42B) with 50-pound monofila- on one strengthener wire. Twist on the
front-to-back ratio seems to be about 6 dB. ment (nylon) fishing line, which deteri- second strengthener wire in the other direc-
On-the-air performance is good. My rig orates in sunlight because of ultraviolet tion. Using rosin-core solder and a solder-
bombardment. I replaced it with more- ing iron hot enough to heat the work
is a Ten-Tee Century 21 that provides thoroughly, solder the three wires together.
60 W to the antenna, which is mounted at durable cord.'? Complete the job by cleaning the joint to
20 ft. I used a "Green Mountain" vertical lONyfon cord, especially that treated to improve remove whatever rosin remains. The
antenna for comparison. (It has four its resistance to ultraviolet light. is much better finished strengthener can be wrapped with
radials 65 ft long and 15 radials 30 ft than monofilament fishing line foroutdooruse' tape as required.
Dacron cord is even better. Because it deterio: B shows the spreader-to-spreader lines
long.) The loop works well on stateside rates rapidly inultraviolet light, avoid using poly_ Paul replaced with cord. See text and
contacts. My first DX contact on the propylene lines in sunlit locations.-Ed. note 10.
7-22 Chapter 7
My quad uses tapped-coil inductive
reflector tuning. I replaced its Miniductor
coils with home-made, l-inch-ID coils
/ 1 7 5 - 0 COOl(
wound of no. 12 tinned bus wire. (I wound
50-0
each coil on a l-inch-diameter temporary '--"COOl(
form, removed it from the form and
slipped it into position on its respective I I I
quad insulator.) Feeling that tapped I I
coils-whether their unused turns are
shorted or left open-introduce loss, I l~_~~_~)
tuned the quad reflectors by adjusting the
tuning coils' turn spacing as necessary. Y
1/4-A. MatchIng Section
I haven't had to repair my quad since I in 8"-Diom"t"r Coil
performed these modifications almost 15 (See Tel(t)
years ago.-Paul T. Atkins, K20Z, 56
Ormsay St, Park Ridge, NJ 07656 Fig 44-Bob Zavrel matches his monoband three-element Vagi antenna to 50·0 coax with
a V4-A, 35.3-0 line section. Called a Q-section or quarter-wavelength transformer, such a
A SLIDING ELEMENT MOUNT FOR matching section is a special case of the senee-secno« transformer, a very useful device
SMALL BEAM ANTENNAS you can read all about in The ARRL Antenna Book, 16th edition (pages 26·15 and 26·16,
o One of the more frustrating parts of ex- and 28-12 through 28-14), and The ARRL Handbook (pages 16-5 and 16-6), both of which
are available from The ARRL Bookshelf. Bob's 35.3-{} line consists of two 75-{) lines in
perimental UHF and VHF Yagi antenna parallel; coiled, they form a choke balun (Fig 15A, page 26-12 in The ARRL Antenna Book
construction is getting optimum spacing and Fig 16, page 16~9 in The ARRL Handbook) that keeps RF off the outside of the coax
and adjustments done without wasting and helps preserve antenna balance. Be sure to use 75·0 cable appropriate for your
materials or drilling unnecessary holes. My transmitting power.
solution to this problem is shown in Fig 43.
clamps, the elements can be moved into A quarter wave in transmission line is
perfect alignment with each other. To shorter than Y<i ~ in free space because
finish the job, drill a hole through clamp, radio waves travel more slowly in transmis-
tape and boom at each element, and turn sion line than in free space. You can find
a sheet-metal screw into each hole. the length of Y<i A in transmission line by
An l l-element Yagi constructed in this multiplying the wave's free-space wave-
way has survived at 60 ft above ground for length by the transmission line's velocity
the past six years. It has withstood rain, factor and dividing the result by 4. Exam-
snow, ice and 75-mi/h winds that toppled ple: A 21.225-MHz wave is 46.37 ft long
a broadcast tower I mile away. When the in free space according to the formula
antenna was taken down recently, it was
found to be in perfect electrical and
mechanical condition.-Kenneth S. A (feet) 984.25 (E 2)
frequency in megahertz q
Munford, N7KM, 3791 W Linda Vista
A ve, Cedar City, UT 84720
In a transmission line with a velocity factor
Fig 43-Kenneth Munford's adjustable ele- SIMPLE 50-0 FEED FOR THREE- of 0.66, a 21.225-MHz wave is 30.6 ft (46.37
ment mount. The screw is added after final ELEMENT MONOBAND BEAMS x 0.66) long. My Y.-A transformer would be
element placement has been determined.
See text.
o Evaluating different means of feeding y. of this length-7.65 ft (7 ft, 7% in).
a three-element I5-m Yagi, I considered Fig 44 shows the transformer configura-
that the feed-point impedance of a three- tion. Parallel the matching-section-coax
The materials needed are copper-plated element mono band beam is about 25 0 for braids and center conductors at both ends of
steel welding rod, plumber's tape, acid-core element spacings that result in maximum the line. Weatherproof the cable ends with
solder and sheet-metal screws. First, cut the gain. Even at resonance, feeding such an electrical tape and/or sealing compound to
elements to length. Cut the plumber's tape antenna with 50-0 line would result in an keep moisture from damaging the cable. Coil
into 2-118- to 3-1I8-inch strips, and form SWR of 2. Then I recalled myoid friend, and tape the matching section to form a
a U 2-112 inches from one end of each the Y<i-~ matching transformer: Connect- shield-choke balun. Result: an impedance
strip. Using a vise or locking pliers, crimp ing the 25-0 antenna to my 50-0 line via transformer that helps preserve your anten-
the tape securely around the center of each an electrical- !!.I-A piece of coax of the im- na's balance while keeping RF current from
element. Solder the tape to each element pedance flowing on the side of the coax shield.
using a propane torch or high-power sol- Fed this way, my beam works very well.
dering iron. To put the antenna together,
z, ~ ,j Z;ZL (Eq I)
The system exhibits an SWR of 1.2 or less
use hose clamps to secure elements to the where Zo = matching-section impedance, over the entire I5-m band, I: 1 at band center.
boom. The elements can be adjusted for Zj = input impedance and ZL = load im- In principle, this technique can be applied to
proper spacing merely by loosening the pedance, would do the job nicely. But any three-elementmonobander. It avoids the
clamps. where could I obtain 35.3-0 line? Connect- mechanical-stability problems inherent in
This element-mounting technique offers ing two pieces of 75-0 coax (RG-59) in gamma- and beta-matching arrangements.
a bonus: By placing the antenna upside parallel gives a 37.5-0 transmission line- -Robert Zavrei, W7SX, ARRL Technical
down on a flat surface and loosening the close enough to 35.3 0 for the job. Advisor, Scotts Valley, California
SWITCHING AN 80I7S·METER
DIPOLE BETWEEN 80175 AND
160 METERS
o A coax-fed 75/80-meter dipole can be Unbalanced,
used on the 160-meter band by connecting 50-n
C1 TUNING
the dipole. feed-line inner conductor and Feed Point
150 pF
shield together and feeding the coax and
dipole as a random wire. Changing bands
is inconvenient with this arrangement,
however; moving from 75 or 80 meters to
160, for instance, involves disconnecting Fig 45-Roy Koeppe enjoys satisfactory tso-rneter operation with an 8O-meter .01 loop.by .
the antenna feed line, adding a shorting feeding the loop as shown here. On 80 through 10 meters, Roy takes C1 out of the circuit
and feeds the loop via its open-wire feed line and a balanced tuner.
adapter to the feed-line connector, and
connecting (or reconnecting) the shorted
feed line to an antenna tuner.
Fig 46 shows my solution to this usual. When the BAND switch is thrown to mitting.-Robert Stein. W6NB/, /849
160, the inner conductor and shield of the Middleton A ve, Los Altos. CA 94022
problem. When the BAND switch is thrown
to 80/75, the coax line is connected to the coax feed line are connected together and
transmitter, transceiver or antenna tuner as to the center conductor of the TX OR
TUNER connector. At the same time, the ADD 160 TO YOUR TRAP ANTENNA
shell of the ANT jack is isolated from the oThe popularity of the 160-meter band
TX OR TUNER connector shell. increases as we reach the bottom of the
'NO Construct the switching adapter as solar cycle. Therefore, I wanted to add
shown in Fig 46. If you cannot locate a coverage of the top band to my existing
chassis-mount male connector for use as Hy-gainw 4O/80-m trap dipole and deve-
the TX OR TUNER connector, use a chassis- loped an add-on trap to serve that purpose.
''0 mount female connector in conjunction Perhaps some other hams would be in-
BAND 80/75 with a male-to-male adapter. terested in adding that band coverage to
I have used this scheme at the lOO-watt their trap antennas.
I" TX Of TUNER
level without encountering arcing between Fig 47 shows the general layout of a
the coax inner conductor and shield or newly constructed trap to accomplish the
between the BAND switch contacts. task. There are no expensive components,
SPOT tOQQle
Nonetheless, be aware that RF voltage will and a little labor can put you on 160
be present on the antenna feed-line shield quickly.
when a coax-fed 80175-meter dipole is used Fig 48 shows how the trap portion of the
5/32':. dia~'6~!Jjjo::-;-' as a 160-meter random wire-and don't coil is adjusted. First, set a dip meter at
x J/4" ~dt41?..nu! >2 places touch the BAND switch when trans- your favorite 80175-meter frequency and
insuloted spacer ....
lopped 10' no. 4-"l0 llolM.i,.mounl mole UHF
screws (2 places) cOMeelO.
181
DRAIN HOL.E
16 TAPS
tOO pF
• kV (EVERY 8 TURNS)
Fig 46-Robert Stein uses this arrangement
to switch a coax-fed 75-meter dipole
between dipole and random-wire modes. Fig 47-W9VYW's add-on trap for 160-meter operation. Close wind 84 11 (170 turns) of
The BAND switch is a standard-sized toggle no. 14 AWG TW-insulated wire on the l1h-inch, schedule 40 plastic pipe (z-tnch 00) form.
switch; don't use a miniature or Remove a small amount of insulation on every eighth turn and solder on 16 copper-wire
subminiature switch in this application. tap points as shown. Plastic press fit (V4-inch diameter) pins hold the end caps in place.
7·24 Chapter 7
BETTER 7- AND 21-MHz OPERATION
WITH A 7-MHz DIPOLE
'DIP
S METER
SET TO TRAP FREQUENCY o Many of us have tried using a 7-MHz
dipole at 21 MHz with less than satisfac-
tory results. End effect'? causes a 1/2-A
dipole resonant at 7.1 MHz to resonate as
a 312-X dipole at about 22 MHz, not 21.3.
Also, the at-resonance feed-point
impedance of a 3/2-A dipole is generally
higher than that of a II2-X dipole.
tOO pF
I suggest minimizing a 7- and 21-MHz
6 ,V
dipole's minimum in-ham-band SWRs by
Fig 48-Locate the capacitor tap point for trap resonance (see text). W9VYW connected using a compromise antenna length of 67
the capacitor across 24 turns for zs-meter operation at 3900 kHz. feet (long for 112Xat 7 MHz, short for 312
Xat 21 MHz) and feeding the antenna via
a coaxial feeder that includes a 21-MHz,
1/4-A coax matching section between the
antenna and its 50-0 feed line. A 21-MHz
Q-section should have little effect at
Fig 49-A photo of W9VYW's trap 7 MHz.
after the capacitor is mounted inside
the trap and before final adjustment I've found that 7 feet, 7 inches of RG-59
on the antenna. cable serves well as this matching section.
Install it between the antenna's feed point
and the 50-lJ coaxial feed line to the shack.
If you use another cable type, you may
have to adjust the matching section's length
or tolerate a higher SWR at 7 MHz. (This
Fig 50-Dimensions for the finished is so because the matching section is capaci-
antenna, as used at W9VYW. tive at 7 MHz, and because different cables
of a common impedance vary in capaci-
tance per unit length.)
Fed via 50-0 cable, such an antenna
exhibits its lowest in-ham-band SWRs at
the low end of 40 meters and the high end
of 15 meters. I've also found that my ver-
sion of this antenna displays slightly lower
EXISTING SWRs at the low end of 40 m and the high
40-m TRAP end of 15 m when it's configured as an
inverted V (as opposed to a flat-top
dipole).-Bob Raffaele, W1XM, Albany,
New York
COAX
12G. Hall, The ARRL Antenna Book, 16th ed
LOADING COIL (Newington: ARRL, 1991), P 2-4 and Glossary
END of Terms (Appendix, p 2). .
TO STATION
/
INSULATOR
7-26 Chapter 7
} 4O.
\
'0.
2O.
I •CL• I; •CL • i
~ ".~ f •CL• U •CL• I
CL
~ CL
~
r
CL-CLIP LEAD
~ COAXIAL
CHOKE
~
j
TO TX
Fig 53-Larry Barry's multiband dlpola makas crafty usa of clip leads end thumbtacks to stuff half·wave dipoles for t 5, 20, 30 and
40 meters into cramped apartment space. Changing bands entails only the connection or disconnection of clip leads. This drawing shows
a straight dipole: larry's antenna is bent into a square but works just fine. See text.
a loopl
Careful pruning of the antenna for my
1-.0114'--\ L1 1---,°'----1 I' '0'----\ L2 1--- 0 114 '-1
FEED
favorite band segments paid off: An POINT
Run the wire through each of the dowel Deep Hole ,, ,, 3/4" -cDfcm
Dowel (4 Places)
(4 Pieces) L __ ...J
slots and through the other end of the in-
sulator. Tighten the loop, twist the anten-
¢=~,--------j-
Mast
SMALL TV ANTENNA
wire from the ribbon cable so that it does Finding a suitable variable capacitor was
not interact with the antenna.) The radials the next problem. I located a suitable
I 2- 3 FOOT
can be thin wire or TV ribbon, close to the
roof on standoffs. (Short each end of the
capacitor in an electronics surplus store.
Problem, though: Under test, the
PLASTIC TUBe:
TV ribbon-Fig 59.) capacitor's 0.025-inch spacing could not
My version of W4VON's antenna is 5/8 withstand the voltage across the 160-meter
GUY WIRES
A on 10 meters as I prefer the 10, 12 and tuned circuit. I increased its spacing to
FAKE TV 15~meter bands. The design could be 0.05 inch by removing every other rotor
RIBBON
changed for 5/8 A on some other band. plate and maintained the proper rotor-to-
Remember, however, that the take-off stator spacing by installing two rotor plates
angle steepens quickly as antenna length back-to-back wherever one was needed. To
20 FT TV MAST exceeds 3/4 A. As the length increases to obtain the 150-pF minimum capacitance
A, the vertical radiation pattern becomes called for in my calculations, I rotated three
STANDOFFS more complex-resembling a cloverleaf, of the rotor plates 180 0 relative to the
(TYP)
rather than a toroid. Multiple lobes of others and paralleled the variable with a
energy appear skywards as the length in- 50-pF, 3000-V mica capacitor. When three
creases, with only minor lobes near the plates are fully meshed with the stator, this
horizon. A lO-meter OSCAR user might combination unit provides 150 pF; turning
take advantage of such a pattern, but ter- the shaft 180 0 meshes four plates with the
restrial contacts won't be very strong.- stator and increases the total capacitance
James G. Coote, WB6AAM, Los Angeles, to 250 pF. I tested the QSY capacitor by
California substituting it for one of Butternut's 200-pF
units. It worked great!
TWIN~ LEAD PUTTING THE BUTTERNUT Next, I found a 120 V ac, 1 rlmin timer
FEEO LINE VERTICAL ANTENNA ON
TO motor to turn the capacitor shaft. To sup-
TRANSMATCH
160 METERS ply power to the motor, I decided to use
o My 160~meter antenna is a Butternut two 120- to 12.6-V transformers back to
Fig 59-WB6AAM's antenna can be HF2V equipped with the optional back-one in the shack (step down) and the
camouflaged easily as a commercial-TV 160-meter base coil. Considering that this other at the antenna base (step up). The
installation. (For clarity, only one set of guy antenna is only 32 feet long, it does a good motor is coupled to the capacitor by means
wires is lthrstrated.) (One could eliminate
the top plastic tube and bond the TV job. Its bandwidth on 160 is 10 kHz or so of a l-inch piece of vinyl tubing cut from
antenna to the mast top as capacitive without top loading. In fact, life on 160 a fish tank suction cleaner. I mounted the
loading. This would make the antenna with the HF2V is difficult for me only when QSY capacitor, motor and step-up trans-
electrical length slightly longer than I want to move around in the band: former in a plastic lunch box and installed
20 ft.-Ed.] Readjusting the antenna is laborious. the box at the base of the antenna. To
My attempt to solve this problem was to protect the components from the weather.
put taps on the 160~meter base coil. I was I sealed the lunch box with caulking.
satisfied with this until the weather turned The QSY capacitor allows me to tune the
The radiator can be any conductor: flag- bad. (Working at the antenna base in the antenna for a 1:I SWR anywhere in the
pole, round or square aluminum stock, freezing rain is unpleasant enough to get 160-meter band. Installation of the
wire and standoffs on a dry wooden pole, the old gray matter working on a better capacitor also had a positive effect on the
or Tv-mast sections to name a few. A mili- way!) SWR bandwidth at 40 and 80 meters: I
tary set with mast sections, whip sections, Butternut's optional 160-meter loading gained 56 kHz at 80 and 84 kHz at 40.
insulator, base and guys would be a good coil kit consists of a large inductor, two Operating with the modified Butternut
field antenna. high-voltage 200-pF capacitors and vertical is a pleasure. QSY on 160 is
Someone who lives where only TV mounting hardware. The two capacitors are accomplished as follows. First, I determine
antennas are allowed could try this idea: used in parallel with the 16O-meter coil to the approximate capacitor setting by
Use two lO~ft sections of TV mast and add resonate the antenna in the 160-meter band. applying less than 1 W to the antenna and
a plastic insulating section (of a similar It occurred to me that easy remote tuning watching the SWR meter as the capacitor
color) with a small TV antenna on the top. could be mine if I replaced one of the is tuned. As the capacitor approaches the
7-30 Chapter 7
correct value. the SWR drops rapidly. At tor joint.) in the Pacific Northwest. a strong gust of
this point, I turn off the capacitor motor • Lay a sheet of clear plastic wrap over wind turned my umbrella inside out and
and increase power to a watt or two. (The the cups, push it up inside the cups and then made my friends laugh. When I got to
higher power level allows finer adjustment.) pull it down over the sealed connections. work, I fixed my umbrella and let it dry in
Then, I start the motor again and turn it • Press the plastic wrap into the Coax' an open area with my coworkers' umbrel-
off when the SWR reaches minimum. Seal. (Coax Seal and clear-plastic food las. Looking at them gathered in the corner
There you have it: 160-meter QSY in less wrap stick together, thus forming an air- of the room reminded me of dish antennas
than a minute with a few flips of a tight joint.} with handle-shaped feed horns! This
switch-from the cozy comfort of the Wind, freezing rain and other severe thought, combined with the memory of my
shackl-Roberr G. Pierlott, 1I1, WE4J, weather cannot damage the joint. The great inside-aut-umbrella experience of earlier in
8824 Nightingale Ln, Pineville, NC 28134 bond that Coax Seal makes with plastic the day, gave me the idea of basing a
WEATHER PROTECTION FOR wrap doesn't allow any moist air or wind- Y4-wave, z-meter ground plane antenna on
VERTICAL·ANTENNA FEED POINTS driven rain to enter the joint along the cable an umbrella frame. As soon as I got home
surfaces. I've had no leakage problems that day, I started work on the project.
o I have found that in very wet and rainy since using this system.-James Fox, 1 found an oid collapsible umbrella that
climates, where the rain is usually wind N7ENI, ARRL Technical Coordinator, iooked just right for the job. (The right
driven. a weather boot sealed with silicone Portland, Oregon umbrella for the job should [I] be expend-
caulk does not work well. Coax Seal" and able; [2] have a straight. and not curved,
especially electrician's tape do not adhere THE WHIPPY WHIP grip; [3] have a telescoping metal handle;
well to silicone caulk. The driving rain can o The 2-meter band bustles with repeater and [4] have a spoke assembly that is
be blown or wick into the bottom of the activity in the Denver area: Even with insulated from the handle.) I attached a
boot. then down the cable braid. Here, IS-kHz channel spacing, almost all the coaxial feed line to the umbrella by
however. is an excellent procedure for possible repeater frequencies are filled. soldering the coax braid to the spoke
weatherproofing antenna connections Having many repeaters to choose from is assembly and the coax center conductor to
(refer to Fig 60): great. but two aspects of repeater use give the metal umbrella handle (just above the
constant trouble: Inadequate antennas and plastic spoke bushing, with the umbrella
battery packs on hand-heid rigs. I've found handle up). To improve the performance
a way to attack both of these problems at of the spokes as a ground plane, I soldered
once: the Whippy Whip. connecting wires between the spokes close
A hand-held rig works surprisingly well to the hub. Using an SWR meter and hand-
if used with a decent antenna; the "rubber held transceiver, 1 adjusted the length of
VERTICAL
ANTENNA
duck" commonly used with hand-held rigs the telescoping handle for minimum SWR
might better be called a "rubber dummy (between 1.3:1 and 1:1 in this case). 1
TIE WRAPS load"! The Whippy Whip is a move toward soidered the handle sections together to
(2)
a decent antenna. It consists of a BNC con- preserve this adjustment. To help preserve
nector and a length of O.025-inch music the shape of the inside-out spoke assembly,
WAX PAPER
CUPS (21
PLASTIC wire (available at hardware stores; my wire 1 threaded nylon fishing line through the
WRAP
cost IS cents). Disassemble the BNC con- holes at the end of the spokes, pulled the
nector so that no insulation is left in con- line taut and tied it. Finally. I threaded a
tact with the center pin. Sandpaper the end long machine screw into the plastic umbrel-
of the wire and tin it lightly. Then, solder la handle-at the top of the vertical
the end of the wire to the connector's antenna element-to allow the umbrella
INSULATOR hollow center pin. Assemble the BNC and antenna to be hung from an antenna mast.
cut the overall length of the antenna to Y4 The antenna works! I can bring up a lot
wavelength at the center of the 2-meter more repeaters with my hand-held trans-
repeater band (19 to 19\1, inches). (Make ceiver now than I could before.-Oscar
the wire a half inch or so longer than neces- Naimi, NlFXY, 240127th Ave W, Bothell,
sary to allow the wire end to be bent into WA 98011
a small loop with needle-nose pliers. Don't
nse the Whippy Whip without adding this LOOP COUPLING FOR J ANTENNAS
loop because the end of the wire is danger- o Coax can be matched to a J antenna's
ously sharp.) quarter-wave section by means other than
With the Whippy Whip in place, you can clamping, clipping, bolting or soldering.
Fig 6O-N7ENI's sealed connection on the make many contacts impossible with a Using an idea by Lawrence Showalter,
feed point of a vertical antenna.
rubber duck. Because the Whip is a signifi- W6KIW, and Robert Hopkins, K6MUP,
cantly better antenna than the duck, you 1 tried coupling to a J with a loop (Fig 61).
may often find that you can use your hand- Loop coupling systems are nothing new for
held at its low-power setting and get more some antennas, but for the J, loop coupling
• Start with clean. dry connectors (as QSOs per charge out of the rig's battery is a new idea that works fine. I find that
little skin oil as possible). pack. Not bad for a buck's worth of parts! loop coupling allows me to obtain a lower
• Wrap the connection with several By the way, 1 find the Whippy Whip to be SWR on the J's feed line more quickly than
layers of electrical tape. every bit as convenient as a rubber duck tapping the line on the J element.
• Apply Coax Seal to the entire connec- because it can be looped into a circle or put My J antennas consist of Y2-inch-
tion and down along the coaxial cable. into a pocket. It literally springs into action diameter copper tubing. elbows, Ts and
• Use two heavy-duty wax-coated paper when released I-Nate Bushnell, KDDUE, caps. The center-to-center spacing of the
cups, one inside the other, to make a 7175 S Grant, Littleton, CO 80122 ~- and Y4-}.. portions of a J constructed of
"tent" around the antenna feed point and these materials is 1 3/4 inches. The coupling
coax connector. (The cups deflect rain. so AN UMBRELLA ANTENNA loop I use is 5 Y2 X 1~ inches in size and
that water doesn't sit on top of the connec- o While 1was going to work one rainy day consists of plastic-coated no. 14 copper
7-32 Chapter 7
CHAPTER 8 = = = = = = = = = = = =
Operating Techniques _
+ 5~on OS; ON 1
OUTPUT
1
560 {\.
.g
OS5 OFF 3
02
lN41.B vee 4
.5T
ill
0
0
11
NC VCC
4
AST
AST
0
0
11
NC ., 10k
lN4148 ....._ _-"6~_TRIG osc 13 NC • -TRIG 0;0 13
NC
.....--Jo...- ...-----+----'.'-I +TRIG
12
OUT
12
• +TRIG
OUT
C3 L1
47 ~F"+
RETRIGGER
01
lN4148
rT7 c C
Fig 3-John Reinke's Beep-Over generates a courtesy beep on PIT-button release, before its associated transceiver switches to receive.
(This schematic shows the preexisting mike PIT button merely to aid the text discussion; you don't need to install another onel) You
may need to experiment with the values of C2 and R2 as described in the text. If you build this circuit, connect your transceiver to a
dummy antenna when adjusting and testing it. All of the circuit's resistors are V4-W, carbon-film units.
9·2 Chapter 9
Beep-Over to insert its beep before the
transmitter shuts down. You may need to EPOXY
experiment with C2's value for optimum / PUSH HERE TO TALK
results.
LI and C3 turn the oscillator's square-
wave output into a sine wave and eliminate
most of the harmonic content of the beep.
Any LC combination that resonates at the
oscillator's output frequency and exhibits
a reasonable Q should be satisfactory.
R2 keeps Rl from loading the transceiver
mike line. You may need to experiment
REMOVE
with R2's value in your application. With PLASTIC
my MC-60 mike set to high impedance to NI.
UP
the earphone cover and lift the earphone DO~
element to one side. Solder a short piece
~I MERCURY
of solid wire across the inductor terminals,
and reassemble the headset. Modified in
this way, the headset whip-somewhat
shorter than ~ A, I admit-works on 2
meters at a reasonable SWR and provides
ALC OUT
10 kn
(Ot----S R1 o.os
eo kfl
ALC AOJ
SWITCHES
communication over a greater range than
a "rubber duckie."
Fig 7-Bob Nagy's head-operated tuning For remote PIT switching, I mounted Fig a-Hal Cupps uses this circuit to
scheme uses two mercury switches as UP a SPST switch in a 35-mm-film can, and produce adjustable ALC voltage in his
and DOWN frequency-slewing controls. RTTY system. The polarity of 01 deter-
Mounted in a headset, they allow hands-off
connected the switch to the mike-jack PTT mines the polarity of the ALe signal
frequency excursions with rigs that include terminals with two-wire cable. Clipped to produced. As shown here, the circuit
this feature. See text. my belt with a key-ring clip, this arrange- produces a negative voltage with respect to
ment makes TR switching easy. ground. C1 consists of a 3f4-inch-square
Of course, suitable connectors must be piece of double-sided PC board (Cl 's leads
quick nods to either side. installed on the headset earphone wires, go to opposite sides of the board). 01 may
generate harmonics of the applied signal;
This little modification has applications and antenna and microphone cables; be- because harmonics can cause interference
for handicapped hams. of course, but it's cause the connectors required vary with to radio and TV reception, check reception
a neat idea for anybody's shack. Be sure the application, 1 leave these details to of your local radio and TV signats after
to include a switch (81) to turn the circuit you.-AI Brogdon, K3KMO, Box 60, you've added the circuit to your station to
on and off, though: If you forget that the Damascus, MD 20872 be sure 01 isn't causing interference. If
01~generated interference occurs, low-pass
head-operated tuning is operative. you may
BETTER AUDIO QUALITY FROM AN filtering between C1 and the antenna can
think other stations are drifting every time solve the problem.
you scratch your head!-Bob Nagy, OUTBOARD SPEAKER
WA2TMD, 3303 Larry Ln, Austin, TX D 1 have a hearing disability that requires
78722 bassier response and more audio output
than my stock Kenwood SP·930 speaker without retuning the amplifier-to that
A GOOD, CHEAP HEADSET suggested by the amplifier manufacturer
could provide without objectionable distor-
o Several headsets on the market are use- tion. I improved the power-handling for safe RTTY operation.-Hal Cupps,
ful for mobile and hand-held-transceiver capability and frequency response of the W7LBD, 5833 E Onyx A ve, Scottsdale, AZ
operation. Most of these headsets cost $40 '930 by replacing its speaker with a 4-inch 85253
to $50, and others cost up to $80. Here is Radio Shack'" automobile speaker (RS
a cheaper way to get a good headset. USING DESK MIKES WITH THE
40-1197). This replacement speaker exactly KENWOOD TR-2S00 AND OTHER
Radio Shack" catalog no. 432 includes fits the mounting holes in the SP-930! Next,
"voice-actuated FM headset walkie- TRANSCEIVERS
I lined the speaker cabinet with fiberglass
talkies"on page 70. Each of these units in- insulation (RS 42-1082 or equivalent) to D The MC-60A and -50 microphones, and
cludes a headset consisting of a micro- damp acoustic resonances. many other desk mikes intended for use
phone, one earphone and a 17-inch Modified in this way, the SP-930 handles with Amateur Radio transceivers having
earphone-mounted whip antenna. You can the full audio output from my TS-930 four- or eight-pin mike connectors, can be
order a replacement headset (Part no. transceiver without noticeable distortion, used with the TR-2500 and other hand-held
Z-7868) through a Radio Shack store [and and its frequency response is substantially transceivers by installing a simple adapter
perhaps through Tandy National Parts- improved. The outboard speakers used by in the mike line. This is especially con-
Ed.]. The price of the headset at the time many hams can probably be improved by venient for fixed-station operation because
1 bought it was $10.18 plus tax! similar modifications.-Maurice Sasson, desk mikes generally allow "lock-to-talk"
The earphone cable consists of two MD, W2JAJ, New Rochelle, New York operation that hand-helds' PTT buttons
coaxial cables (one with a clear-plastic- don't.
insulated center conductor and gray shield ALC FOR RTTY OPERATION The adapter (Fig 9) consists of a four-
wire, and the other with a gray-plastic- D As a radioteletype (RTTY) enthusiast, or eight-pin male mike jack, a suitable
insulated center conductor and black shield I've been frustrated by incompatibility length of mike cable, a piece of insulated,
wire) and two single leads (one blue, one between transceivers and the automatic- stranded hookup wire the same length as
black). The clear-insulated-center-con- level-control (ALC) output of various the mike cable, a miniature phone plug (to
ductor coax carries RF; the black-insulated- external power amplifiers. An external match the hand-held's mike jack) and a
center-conductor coax carries microphone ALC circuit (Fig 8) suggested to me by small alligator clip.
audio. (The microphone uses an electret- Erwin Weber, W9DBM, has proven quite Wire the adapter as shown in Fig 9 and
capacitor element; in addition to audio, the successful in solving this problem. With this wind the ground wire around the mike
mike cable carries voltage for the mike ele- circuit in place, I can adjust my amplifier cable. Attach the alligator clip to the trans-
ment.) The single blue and black wires for linear operation and, by adjusting Rl, ceiver chassis ground at the rig's antenna
carry earphone audio. reduce the amplifier's' output power- jack or carrying-strap bracket. If your
9·4 Chapter 9
transceiver ground is common to that of
your MF/HF station, you can connect the
alligator clip to any station ground termi- 1 Mike Hoi
P1
nal. If you use an external speaker with <E-, err Ho1
to XCVR
your hand-held, you can connect the adap- 3 MIC Jack
ter ground wire to the speaker ground NC
J1 4
terminal.
Once you've installed the adapter, try
.,C
MC-60A
e
NC Mike Ground
AlliQator Clip
NC 10 XCVR Chossis
setting the mike to its various output 6 P'
NC
impedances (if it affords a choice) to dis- 7
cover which impedance produces the best Graund
6
transmitter audio with your hand-held PTY Ground {A'
transceiver. If the mike has a built-in
preamplifier, try switching it on and off to
see which configuration provides the best
Mike Hat
transmitter audio.-Maurice I. Sasson,
MD, W2JAJ, 75 Gail Dr, New Rochelle, J2 10 XCVR
NY 10805 .,C
MC-50 3
PTT Ground
MIC Jock
4
ILLUMINATE YOUR SWR BRIDGE! Ground
2 3 • 5 , 7
• • 10
Fig 1O-AI Greenstein's IO-badge-Ughting
circuit (A) uses a 4017 decade counter and
j ,..
3 2
~ .•
~ r-~ r-~ ~ ~ l-~r-~ l-~ r-~ ~
, ~ j Ito ' ,Ito j Ito ' ~ j ,.. j ,..
7 '0
~
1 5 , • 11
a 555 timer to light 10 LEOs sequentially.
Resistors are V4 W; a snap-on battery
connector serves as the on/off switch. AI's
suggested badge/board configuration is
shown at B.
00 01 02 03 O' 05 0' 07 0' O.
V" ~
~
NC o---E CARRY
OUT COUNTER RESET
~
1 • 2. 3. ••
Ul eLK EN
W4NFJ
•
., AL.7 .,•
17 CW< Vgo
14 10 5
" BTl
0.01 IJ.F
o-t1llli-=-- ••
25 V
• V
" r: ~
f----..!. GNO
P
r: TRIG F------ BTl
TIMER P
NCo2 CTRL. THR ~ ~, "
3
§J
OUT
> 1 k
DISCH 7
U2 RESET Voe
555 a (8)
I'
9-8 Chapter 9
I adjust the system for equal SWR in the
"amplifier in" and "amplifier out" modes Fig 14-This amplifier modification Connects Net-
as follows: With the amplifier switched off work 2 between the transceiver and amplifier in- to anode choke
and the transceiver producing about 30 W put only when the amplifier is used in transmit. At and output
atl other times, the transceiver is connected to network
output, adjust Network 1 for minimum Network 1 via the amplifier TR relay. Network 2 is
SWR as indicated by SWR meter I. Turn permanently connected between the coaxial jacks
on the amplifier and tune it up at reduced labeled N2 IN and N2 OUT.
output power. Adjust Network 2 for mini- N2 IN N2 OUT
mum SWR as indicated by SWR meter 2.
A closing speculation: Some vacuum- to
EXCITER filament
tube power amplifiers include grid-current
metering. Grid current can serve as an
..-----i choke
A*~
gear.
The first fix involves the HO-lO's MODE
or FUNCTION switch. (This switch is
marked MODE on the HO-IO schematic,
but is labeled FUNCTION on the scope's
front panel.) With age, this switch (see
Fig 15A) may deteriorate to the point that
I RF
TRAP
200 V
7
C16 ** R20
V3C
R22
tc ViA
(RF demodulotor)
16)
HORIZONTAL
J~ INPUT
1 =Jl AF
TRAP SINE
2 ,F
200 V
C'6
5
R20
~-
, Mil.
7
HOR'Z .....~-'-f-
R22
GAIN< ~_
6C10 3 blockinQ capacilor
I r~/I1 ~ . 10 switched or
':J:
330 kfi
~a:tu/te ~T dlsc;onnecloble
oudlo lood
V3C
6C10
R2' R pO
Horironfol
Amplifier
(A) ICf
Fig 15-Deterioration of the Heath HO-1O's MODE switch can cause momentary short circuits between the switch's AF TRAP and SINE
terminals when the switch is cycled (A). When this occurs, V3B's cathode potential (as high as 170 V) appears at the HORIZONTAL INPUT
jack, spelling almost certain doom for solid-state equipment connected to the jack. Dallas Williams suggests curing this with a new MODE
switch. Even if the HO-W's MODE switch is in good shape, however, the high-voltage charge C16 acquires with the MODE switch in the
SINE position is applied to the HORIZONTAL INPUT jack when the switch is moved from SINE to AF TRAP. Dallas's solution to this consists of
moving C16 and adding two capacitors as shown at B. (The 2-pF capacitors are nonpolarized paper- or plastic-dlelectric units.) C shows
your editor's high-tech fix to thumps caused by sudden charging of blocking capacitors in audio circuits. To keep circuit loading neglig-
ible, make the resistance of pull-down resistor Rp D at least ten times the impedance at the point across which the resistor is connected.
9·10 Chapter 9
a good idea to check vacuum-tube gear for initial reference, as well as assigned call needed was a "leg up "-or, at least, a
safe operation before connecting it to solid- signs. For an added fillip, W9DY selected "foot up"-to support its free end.
state equipment.-Dallas Williams, juicy calls-SYlMA, AC4YN, YKIAA, A search through my junk box un-
WADMRG, PO Box I, Sedgwick. CO etc. A chance to be rare DX! When the covered a plastic equipment foot of just the
80749-0001 gang had their pencils and paper ready, right height. I used a few drops of glue to
AK7M: Although Dallas's equipment- Bud hollered "Go!" and the fun began. secure the foot to the bottom of the
compatibility hint may seem to be Slowly at first; the guys were a little self- cartridge. Now, there's no evidence of
equipment-specific, it isn't. One of the first conscious opening up; talking to themselves movement once the cartridge is inserted
facts we learn about capacitors is that they as it were. Then "SYIMA" and into the connector, as the foot rests on the
can "block de while allowing ac to pass."
This quoted statement is a bit simplistic: A "AC4YN" called short CQs, and the fight desk top and supports the cartridge.
capacitor can block de only after it has was on. Bedlam! Cupped hands beamed -Paul K. Pagel, NIFB, ARRL HQ
charged to the dc voltage it's expected to audio all over the hall, QSOs began adding
block. If the simplistic view were true, you up and 20 never sounded so grand.
could connect one lead of a 0.01-J(F, 1-kV
USING THE ROBOT SOOC AS AN
After a riotous twenty minutes, W9DY
capacitor to, say, 500 V and grab the capa- ELECTRONIC TYPEWRITER
silenced the battle. By then, RAMs not only
citor's free lead with no ill effect. In fact- had the Field Day exchange down pat, but o The Robot Model SOOC SSTV terminal
and depending on how close your body is
to ground potential-you may receive a they had also established to the satisfactory can be used as an electronic typewriter for
short, dangerous jolt as the capacitor enlightenment of everyone the minimum typing letters and other data. Your system
charges to 500 V through you. This happens station identification tolerated by FCC in must include a Robot 80DC with parallel
because an uncharged capacitor "looks such activities. This is important. A later or serial printer modification, and a
like" a short circuit until it charges. tape playback added to the fun. Member dot-matrix or daisy-wheel line printer. (I
Unplanned-for capacitor-eharging effects Jim Moss, WB9AJZ, it was ascertained, recommend the use of a parallel printer, if
may be no more than annoying. Have you won this impromptu DX test by working you have one.) To print: (1) Do not use
ever put a pair of headphones on before every other "station" and a dupe besides. your transmitter unless you are going to
plugging them into an unloaded solid-state
audio amplifier and heard a deafening Parker Brothers probably could do up transmit whatever you type over the air to
thump as you plugged the headphones in? a fancy package for this little gig, but all another amateur station. (2) Set the Robot
Such thumps occur when an amplifier's de- you really need are pencils, scratch paper to ASCII mode, wide shift (850 Hz).
blocking output capacitor charges through and a little lung power. When the bands (3) With the split-screen function operating,
the output transducer (your headphones or drop dead, folks, don't fidget, fret and set the Robot to the receive mode. Now
speaker). This situation can be more than fume. Call a club meeting and go all-audio, type what you wish to print, using the
an annoyance: lance blew the headphone- even oral telegraphy if you like. Instant SPACE bar for spacing and RETURN for
circuit blocking capacitor in a 1930s-vintage
ham receiver merely by plugging in head- pile-up, and any number can play.-Rod changing lines or beginning paragraphs.
phones. The capacitor had been on the Newkirk, W9BRD. 7862B W Lawrence Type until the 800C's buffer is full. Hit
verge of failure; the sudden charging- A ve, Norridge, IL 60656 ESC and SPACE to send the text to the
current pulse finished it off and caused a printer. (4) After the buffer contents have
headphone pop that made my ears ring for STORE YOUR QSTs IN TIIEIR been printed, hit ESC and return to the
several minutes. What would have hap- PLASTIC MAILING BAGS receive mode. Continue steps 3 and 4 until
pened if I'd plugged in a solid-state amplifi-
er instead of headphones?
o Don't throwaway those plastic wrap- your message is completed.
pers QST comes in. They're an excellent In its ASCII mode, the 800c's keyboard
If component failure causes voltage to
appear where it doesn't belong, the cure way to preserve your QSTs. After each works just like a typewriter, including the
is simple: Replace the failed component. month's QST arrives, I carefully trim one CAPS LOCK function. This letter was com-
If suboptimal circuit design is the cause, end of the bag to remove the magazine. posed on a Robot 800C and an SMC TP-l
the circuit can be modified for safer (or Reinserting QST in its bag is easy: Bend the daisy-wheel printer.-Clyde W. Preble,
less annoying) operation. Audio thumps magazine slightly in its middle and slip it WA60LA, Mill Valley, California
or clicks that occur when a load is connec-
back into the bag. Wonder if I can buy
ted or switched can often be cured simply
by the addition of pull-down resistors at these bags by the dozen from ARRL? QSL HOLDERS
the "floating" side of culprit capacitors -Bill Eppley, W2SDB, 434 Adams Ave, o While I am a photographer by profes-
(Fig 15C). Cape Canaveral. FL 32920 sion, I rarely use 3- x f-inch prints. So,
AK7M: OST Circulation Manager Debra when a recent mailing included a sample
RADIOLESS RADIO FOR CLUB- Jahnke tells me that QSTbags eren't available page of clear vinyl holders for ten 3.5- x
NIGHT FUN' from HQ because they're custom cut and 5.25-inch prints in a three-ring binder, I
D A contest inertia problem always nettled sealed as OSTrolls off the presses each month almost threw it out. But I suddenly
at R. R. Donnelley & Sons, Glasgow, KY.
Bud Frohardt, W9DY, president of the Debbie adds that some "members use zip- thought. "Aha! QSLs!" Sure enough, a
Radio Amateur Megacycle Society. Take resealable food-storage bags for storing OST. standard QSL fits quite nicely if you can
ARRL's Field Day, for example. The spare about \14 inch that must be trimmed
club's dozen or so operators each naturally A LEG FOR C64 PROGRAM from the length. The photo industry offers
required a half hour. more or less, to limber CARTRIDGES quite a range of mounts, albums, pages and
up and get contest exchanges rolling D Many hams use Commodore 64TH per- the like for the 3- X 5-inch size, which is
smoothly. This was especially true if any sonal computers. Coupled with the right very common in amateur photo processing.
exchange specifications differed from the software, the C64 provides an easy way to A wide variety of storage and viewing
previous year's routine. Clearly, this warm- get on CW, AMTOR and RTTY. Many systems are also made for 4 x 5, a com-
up hesitation subtracted from the overall software packages come in the form of mon size for professional negatives and
results. plug-in cartridges. You simply stick the 5 x 7, which would probably hold over-
Bud mulled over remedial measures for card edge into the connector at the back of size QSLs quite nicely. Put some typical
a while, then had each member bring a the C64 and away you go. QSLs in your glove compartment and stop
pencil to a pre-FD RAMS meeting where The AEASOFT cartridge that I use is into a photo or department store. You
prepared sample contest log sheets awaited. rather long . .I was concerned that the long might find just what you need to organize
The pages carried sample exchange info for cartridge put a bending moment on the e64 and display all those stacks of cards gather-
5Aeprinted from How's DX?, OST, Jul 1973, connector that might cause eventual con- ing dust.-Fred Anderson, KDIHG,
pp 106-110. nector failure. I felt what the cartridge Nisswa, Minnesota
6V
l pF
places. What to do?
Clip a spring-loaded clothespin onto the
locking screw of the existing dot weight.
Presto! In my case, the key's minimum dot Fig 17-Arthur Erdman uses this audio-driven circuit to key his 1750-meter beacon. 01
speed dropped to about 17 WPM. To slow rectifies the tape-recorder audio; Cl, AI and C2 filter the rectified audio to drive 01, and
01 pulls the keying line low when sufficient drive current flows between its base and
the dots even more, I slipped the coupling emitter. 01 Is any small-signal, silicon NPN transistor capable of withstanding the voltage
ring from a PL-259 coaxial connector onto of the open keying circuit and capable of handling the keyed current. This circuit keys
the clothespin.' Result: dots at a restful positive (negative-ground) keying lines only.
9-12 Chapter 9
requires Q I to key only 10 rnA. You may
need to add a stage of de amplification Fig l8-Paul
between the recti fier and Q I to key higher Alexander uses a
currents.-Arthur C. Erdman. W8VWX. bridge rectifier, U1,
224 Chaucer ci, Worthington, OH 43085 to allow this elec-
tronic keyer to ,-------;:::===:+---0 Keyed
BRIDGE RECI1FIER SOLvEs KEYING- actuate CW transmit-
ters with positive or
line
POLARITY PROBLEMS negative-polarity
o After replacing my tube transmitter with keying lines, 01 is
a solid-state transceiver, I found I had to his keyer's keying-
line-switch transistor.
devise a suitable method of enabling my As noted in the text,
keyer to switch a positive voltage instead this circuit works
of the tube rig's negative (grid-block) volt- only if the transmit-
age. (A relay is an obvious solution, but I ter and keyer are u,
prefer using a solid-state device.) Gary connected to each
Peterson, K0CX, suggested a simple but other-via keying-
line and common
effective way to do this: Use a bridge rec- leads-through U 1
tifier across the keyer's keying transistor only. Multiple equipment grounds (through ground wires, control-lead and coax
(Fig 18). shields, 120-V ac connections and so on) may prohibit a single keyer-to-transmitter
For this circuit to work properly, the ground connection. The simplest solution to this problem is to modify the keyer
keyed transmitter line must be connected circuitry to float its common-here represented by the chassis-common symbol-
above chassis.
to the keyer circuit only through U1.
Although I used silicon diodes-actually a
bridge rectifier from a discarded hair
dryer-germanium diodes will work, and
add less voltage drop to the keyed line.
-Paul Alexander, K5LZT, 1421 Valmont
Dr, Hendersonville, NC 28739. Audio
Oscillator
THE HARDWARE-STORE SPECIAL MJ2955 kO CT
CODE·PRACTICE SET Q1 r---------I~ T1
o Because code-practice oscillators seem
to be helpful to some of my Novice
students in mastering the Morse code at
r-<Y"'~+ 11111+-=--+«IID(]
home, I sought a simple, inexpensive, -..;.:tlo(~..J 3 V 80 8- 0
home-brew code-practice set that the Speaker
R1
students could build themselves. 15 to 47 kO
First, I tried the 555-timer-based circuit
shown on p 36-6 of The 1990ARRLHand-
book. The oscillator itself worked well, Fig 20-The Hardware-Store Special code-practice oscillator circuit is based on that shown in
Fig 580 on page 4-28 of The 1990 ARRL Handbook. Q1 is available as Redia Shack no. 276-2043
and T1 is RS no. 273·1380. R1's resistance depends on the pitch you want and the
battery voltage: With a 3-V supply, the circuit provides room-filling sound, oscillating at about
450 Hz with an R1 of 15 kO, and at about 1 kHz with a 47-kO resistor at R1.
with a few simplifying modifications (a with a minimum of parts and battery volt-
single resistor instead of R3 and R4-47 kD age. The key is built on a 4 X 6 x
for a l.5-kHz pitch, 100 kll for a 700-Hz 3/16-inch wooden base of scrap paneling.
pitch, and 220 kll for a 4OO-Hz pitch-and Its springs consists of two halves of a
the use of three D cells for a 4.5-V power lOY,-inch-long hacksaw blade. (The hack-
supply instead of 9 V). Radio Shack@'s saw blade can be easily snapped at its mid-
standard 555 Ie (no. 276-1723) worked point by nicking it with a bench grinder,
Fig 19-The Hardware-Store Special key. fine, but its more-expensive CMOS equiva- wrapping it in a piece of cloth [to contain
Yes, those hacksaw-blade springs are sup- lent (the TLC555, no. 276-1718) did not the shrapnel that can fly when the blade
ported by wire nuts, and, yes, that is a breaks] and bending it at its center. Wear
drawer pull masquerading as a key knob! deliver enough audio in a classroom situa-
No holes need be drilled in the hacksaw tion. We used sockets for the timer ICs; eye protection when you do this.) Study
blades; wooden cross bars clamp the even so, assembling each circuit required Fig 19closely for more details on construct-
blades against the wire-nut standoffs. considerable soldering skill. Keys were a ing the Hardware-Store Special key; don't
Decreasing the distance between the knob problem, too: A few old junk-box keys be afraid to experiment and improvise with
and the first cross bar stiffens the key's were available to students visiting my the materials you have on hand.
feel. Brass no. 6-32 bolts are used for the The next problem solved was our require-
key contacts; steel no. 6-32 bolts are used shack, but we needed to come up with
elsewhere. You can use standard hex or a home-buildable key for students who ment for a simple, loud code-practice oscil-
wing nuts instead of the acorn and knurled- wished to use their code-practice sets at lator. 1 found a gem on page 4-26 of The
plastic nuts shown at the key terminals and home. 1990 ARRL Handbook: a one-transistor
cross bars. To ensure adequate electrical What finally evolved is a code-practice circuit capable of providing room-filling
continuity through the key, be sure to sand set consisting of a key (Fig 19) and code- sound with a low-voltage de supply. Fig 20
the tips of the key-contact bolts, and the
hacksaw blade pieces where they meet practice oscillators (Figs 20, 21 and 22) shows the circuit, which is simplified a bit
their terminal and key-contact bolts. capable of putting out a maximum of audio over the Handbook version, and Figs 21
9-14 Chapter 9
necessary to connect the interface's PTT-
U7B U7.
control line to VI2B, the HW-IOI's TR-
1/3 7410 1/3 7410
relay driver. U2D, unused in the original
interface circuit, is put to work here.
k""1000 k"'1000
The original interface was designed to be
powered from a 13.5-V de source in its as- R8 R.
sociated transceiver. Such a supply is un- 5.8 kCl 5.6 kQ
available in the HW-IOt, so I used the
circuit shown in Fig 23B, deleting the 9.I-V
Zener diode, 200-0 resistor, and 0.1- and Q3
2()()-~F capacitors that provide 9.1-V de 2N2222
from 13.5 V in the original design.
+5 v L.......--<J KEVER
OUT
Construction and Installation
I decided to build the interface into the T 0.001 JJ.f
, ; , 25 V
transceiver on a Radio Shack" 276-150 R9
Multipurpose Board. This board has ample 4.7 kO
room to accommodate the original inter- Fig 25-Bob Libbin bypasses 04, R9 and
face circuitry (including the MARK and R10
R10 to modify hiS Accu-Keyer for use with
Q' positive-keying-Iine transceivers-that is,
SPACE pots) and the additional parts called 2N4888
for in Fig 23A. most modern, solid-state radios.
470 n
I mounted the interface board on the
HW-IOI's main chassis, 3/4 inch to the
right of the cage containing the rig's 6146 already present. These steps yield the cir-
amplifier tubes and over the 5/8-inch- KEVER OUT cuit shown in Fig 25.-Bob Libbin, AE8L,
diameter access hole, which also allows Cincinnati. Ohio
wiring to the underchassis circuits. An alu- Fig 24-The original Accu-Keyer output cir-
cuitry used a 2N4888 transistor to key the AN AID TO COMPUTER CW
minum bracket, 3 x 2 inches in size with
a 11a-inch flange, supports the board.
blocked-grid-keyed transmitters and trans-
ceivers common in its day. The keying line
o The proliferation of computers in
Position the board on the bracket so the Amateur Radio stations has greatly simpli-
in such radios is negative during key-up
MARK and SPACE pots are accessible for periods. fied RTTY operation and enhanced high-
easy adjustment. speed CW operation. Unfortunately, some
I built the power supply underneath the ofthe computer/radio interfaces (modems)
chassis on the vertical partition that have default conditions on the radio AFSK
supports the coil compartment. A bolt to adapt the Accu-Keyer for use with and CW -keying lines that are incompatible
suitable for mounting the 7808 regulator is modern, positive-keyed rigs (negative with some transceivers. Those modems
available 3-112 inches from the rear of the ground, keying line positive with key up). leave the RTTY tone on when placed in the
chassis. Other power-supply parts are wired Fig 24 shows the original Accu-Keyer ew mode. This condition makes it impos-
to a terminal strip mounted over the output circuit. Modify the boxed circuitry sible to use a VOX feature for CW opera-
grounding lug for the socket of RL2 (one as follows: tion because the AFSK tone keeps the
of the HW-IOI's TR relays). I. Lift Q4's base lead from the circuit transmitter keyed. Also, many modems
The HW-lOl's KEY-jack wiring must be board. leave the CW-keying circuit open when in
modified because the interface unit's keying 2. Lift either of R9's leads from the cir- the RTTY mode, so that the key line must
transistor (Q2, an MPSA42; see the article cuit board, or remove R9 entirely. be unplugged when you switch to the CW
cited in note 6) must operate grounded- 3. Relocate the keyer output connection mode for transmitter adjustments. I use the
collector, with its emitter connected to the from Q4's collector to Q3's collector. Hal Communications CRI-2oo modem,
HW-IOI 's keying line. Lift the black/white 4. Solder a O.()()I-~F, 25- V disc-ceramic and it works fine on both RTTY and
wire at the tip terminal of the HW-IOI's capacitor across the KEVER OUTPUT line CW -except for the aforementioned
KEY jack and connect this wire to Q2's (preferably right at the jack), if one is not problems.
emitter. Then run a wire from the
HW-IOI's KEY-jack tip terminal to the
cathode of D6 in the interface circuit. This
completes the modification. Sl MODE
x
MODEM cw..$' TRANSCEIVER
Follow the adjustment procedures
described in the original article, and you're
ready to operate.-Jim Zvolanek, W9AG,
AFSK OUT
-
J1
-:..-------~(7""1
I o---J
r ....:J::3~
MIC
r-f
RTTY operation). the AFSK circuit is com- OTR
pleted and the CW-keying circuit is 0.01 I"F
Pin 3
Co~~~ter
grounded (to key the transmitter when it NC is unused
50 V
is placed in the CW mode). Chassis
This external switch allows easy change- Ground
over between AFSK and CW modes with-
out the need for internal modem modifi-
cations. The project is very easy to build, Fig 27-John Swancara's RS-232-C-to-keying-tine interface consists of just four parts. You
can build the circuit on a piece of scrap copper-clad circuit board. John obtained U1, a
and it makes computer CWIRTTY opera- T1L-111 optocoupler, as part of Radio Shack's 276-139 optocoupler assortment.
tion much more convenient.-Russ
Rennaker, W9CRG, Kokomo. Indiana
CHEAP AND QUICK RS-232-C-TO·
so far down that it causes no problems.
KEYING-LINE INTERFACE
I suggest keeping the resonant speaker
o While experimenting with my Tandy" in the clear by at least 2 feet. Place it on
1000 home computer and some ham code- a soft pad. I use a hemostat to adjust the
generation programs, I learned that the position of the tuning plug. On some of the
computer's RS-232 DTR line switched
MC
-vce ~·'--'4---0 +
transceivers without separate audio I/O TO CATHODE
OF CR19 r 1 TRIGGER
' _.....- + - ' 2
5·1211DC
connections suitable for digital
communications can benefit from the
IN MFJ-1270
1N914
RESET 4 ~
r---o - {CONNECT TO
LEADS OF Ct2
IN MFJ-t210 I
addition of a switch box like that described TIMER
here.-Robert L. Dingle, KA4LA U, 657
Dell Ridge Dr, Dayton, OH 45429 r--~-----!'~ OUTPUT 1 MIl.
O.47J.lF
TO CATHODE
" 2
•
OF CR19
IN MFJ -1270
I I II
TRIGGER
555
+ vee +
5-12VDC
(CONNECT TO
LEADS OF Cl2
Fig 33-Frederick Losch's TNC connect
alarm didn't always sound the alarm when
his TNC connected, so he modified part of
lI"'T t, the original circuit (A) as shown at B.
IN MFJ-1270)
lN914 Frederick further reports that the 555's
(A)
ability to drive more than one piezoelectric
100 en
buzzer can be put to good use when multi-
ple alarm buzzers are desired (one at the
y
TNC and another at a remote location, for
4?On.. instance). He cautions, however, that
electromagnetic transients picked up by
long buzzer wires can cause false trig-
gering of the alarm.
....-
lN914
TO CATHODE
OF CRI9 If--<.2- TRIGGER e vcc • +5-IZVDC
IN MFJ-IZ70 O.01.llF
(B)
1~=toool
555
- ,
L51
frustrated with having to connect my
12V Tandy" 102computer to the TNC to see if
any messages had been left for me. Because
I'm not in the shack most of the day, an
audible alarm would have been most try-
470 n
Fig 34-AI Smardon 10 k n ing for my wife. Thinking there must be a
added this connect 51 better way, I decided to try an approach
alarm to his GLB TNC. ALARM
used in hotel and motel telephone systems.
LS1 is a Radio My solution (Fig 36), a TNC message-
Shack" 273-055
buzzer. waiting circuit. uses exactly the same
number of parts as K4HCD's audible
alarm. It automatically indicates that a
message has been left in the TNC, and
automatically resets when the message is
delivered to the local terminal. The TNC
operates normally all the time. except when
the local terminal interface has been
"turned off" with the XOFF command
to character (usually Control-S). When the
CON LED
Cathode
TNC is in XOFF mode and a remote sta-
tion connects, the TNC stores received
1000 ~f
2N3906
1S V Plezoeletrlc data. When the operator returns the TNC
Fig 35-Paul Christensen ENABLE
Buzzer to the XON mode, the TNC responds by
simplified AI Smardon's 10 kO + sending the message to the local terminal.
GLB TNG-alarmcircuit by ALARM
using a single PNP RESET/ If a station leaves a message at the TNC
transistor instead of two k=1000 OFF while it's in XOFF mode, the CONnect
NPNs. LED flashes(0.5 second on, 0.5 second oft)
4700 + after the station disconnects and until the
1/4 W 12 V
message is delivered to the local terminal.
The flashing CON LED gives the operator
a visual indication that the connect
occurred, and that a message is probably
waiting for him. I built the prototype
version on a l-inch-square piece of
"experimenter's" PC board in about an
SIMPLIFYING THE OCTOBER 1990 functions as a logic inverter; the second hour; part placement and layout are not
GLB TNC MESSAGE-ALERT ALARM sinks current from the alarm buzzer. A critical.
o VE30X provided a circuit for interfac- single PNP transistor (2N3906) can func-
tion as a logic inverter and current sink for The Circuit
ing a connect alarm to a OLB terminal-
node controller (TNC). Although the cir- the buzzer, as shown in Fig 35 .-Paul B. The message-waiting alerter uses both
cuit will work well as shown, nearly half Christensen. N9AZ, Jacksonville, Florida timers in a 556 dual-timer Ie to monitor
of its circuitry can be eliminated through the status of a connect within the TNC. The
the use of a PNP transistor instead of two A TNC MESSAGE-WAITINGALERTER first timer (VIA) is configured as an RS
NPNs. o After recently becoming active in packet flip-flop, using active-low inputs. The
The first 2N3904 in the original design radio, I almost immediately became second timer (U 1B) serves as an astable
Around the Shack 9·19
5V
+
1 to Cathode
of CR-19,
CON 1.£0 In
UI. the MFJ-1274
556
I U1B
Timer
14- (8) (8) !
Vee
I (7)
1 kO ::-
10 (4)
Vee
OUT
9 (3) 10k
AO
P )
01
2N39 04 ~
"PS3904
DISCHARGE RESET I
I
v ~
13 (7)
!B.
\
TRIGGER DISCHARGE
r7
<:
n
6B kO
L_
to TXDB
(U21, pin 26
4 (4)
RESET eONTX
8 (2)
12 (6)
TRIGGER
THRESHOLD rh
n r- Optional Pleac Buzzer
and Enable 5 witch
VOLTS
In the MfJ-1274)
ONO
iL_____
(1)
THRESH
2 (6)
~1 ~f
~~
;
10 _F
16 V
7 (1)
ONO
CONTX
veLTS
Pi,-L0" _F
k .. 1000
Pinll not shown
ore unua .d.
"J,
r:
Fig 36-Lynn Hansen's messagsMwaiting alerter flashes his TNC's CONnect LED at a n.s.secono rate to indicate that a connection has
occurred. The pin numbers outside parentheses refer to a 556 dual-timer Ie; use the parenthesized pin numbers if you substitute two
5555 for the 556.
multivibrator that is controlled by the first the local terminal on TXDB automatically MFJ-1274) or to the collector of its driver
timer. resets VIA and VIB. The TNC's CON transistor.
Under normal conditions, the TXDB line LED also goes out, of course. RESET input for UIA. Use the TNC's
carries data to the local terminal. Each data When the TNC is in XOFF mode, no TXDB output (in the MFJ-1274, this is pin
"space" pulls the RESET input of UIA data is sent to the local terminal, hence, 26 of V21 or pin 2 of IC3). Another sig-
low, resetting the internal flip-flop, and UIA and UIB are not reset. After discon- nal, suitable for Reset (the SIO chip's
keeping the DISCHARGE output. low. This nection, UIB continues to operate, switch- RXDB input) can be found on pin I of J5,
output is wired to UIB's RESET input, ing QI on and off. This flashes the CON the '1274's TTL serial port. Try bath sig-
which in turn keeps UIB, the multivibrator, LED to indicate the likelihood that a nals to see which works best for you.
disabled, and the output of QI floating in messageis waiting. As soon as the local ter- This circuit operates completely in the
a high-impedance state. QI's collector is minal commands the TNC into the XON background-no operator control is
paralleled across that of the TNC's CON mode, the data flowing on the TXDB line required. It also makes a great little eve-
LED driver transistor; this point is also fed resets VIA and VIB, and the CON LED ning project, since all of the parts can be
to UlA's TRIGGER input. stops flashing. obtained for under $5 at your local Radio
When a connect occurs, the DTRB out- Shackw store. One other advantage is that
put of V21 goes high. This output turns on Installalion this modification does not deface your
the TNC CON LED driver transistor, trig- Installation is easy. Remove the cover of TNC should you want to sell it later, and
gering UIA's internal flip-flop, which in your TNC and connect the alerter to the is easily removable.
turn toggles UIA's DISCHARGE output following sources: If you want, you can add a piezoelectric
high. UIA's DISCHARGE output is connect- + 5 V de is available at many spots in the buzzer to this circuit: Just hang it on the
ed to the RESET input of VIB. When TNC. In my MFJ-1274, this voltage is output (pin 9 or 3) of VI B. If you do this,
UIA's DISCHARGE output goes high, it available at the hat side of R34 (the you may want to put a switchon it-to help
allows VIB to start up as an astable multi- dropping resistor on the TNC's PWR keep peace in the family!
vibrator, switching QI on and off at a LED). I hope that you find this circuit as use-
O.5-second rate. This continues until U IA Ground. This is another easily accessi- ful as I have. It's nice to have packet-mail
is reset by local-terminaldata an the TXDB ble point. I found it on pin 3 of connector capability, but it's even nicer to have a flag
line. J5, the TTL serial port on my MFJ-1274. on the mailbox!-Lynn H. Hansen,
When a disconnection occurs with the A connecting point for the collector of KU7Q, 741 E 300 N, Soda Springs, ID
TNC in XON mode, data transmitted to Ql on Ihe aterterboard. Make this connec- 83276
tion to the CON LED cathode (in the
9-20 Chapter 9
CHAPTER 10
Electrolllagnetic
Interference (RFI/EMI)_-
MODIFIED 300-0HM HIGH-PASS
FILTER REDUCES TV
FUNDAMENTAL OVERLOAD
o If you have TVI, your first inclination
FROM
15-TO 300- TO
may be to install expensive low-pass filters 300-n 1!5-n TOTV
ANTENNA
BALUN BALUN
r--:-""'I, SET
in your transmission lines and power cords.
In some cases, however, the interference
may be caused by fundamental overload-
1
1!5-n
1
1!5-n
COAX COAX
not by harmonics-against which low-pass TO GROUNO
filtering offers no protection. Thus, it's a (IF NECESSARY I
good idea to eliminate the possibility of
fundamental overload first, if possible.
Inexpensive high-pass filters are available Fig 2-Jim Rafferty's addition to H & K's anti-Tv! arsenal: Inserting two transformers and
a 300-{} filter in a 75 TV antenna system quashes RFI caused by shield-borne HF
M
energy.
department stores, but the fundamental-
overload reduction afforded by such filters
is sometimes disappointing. A simple filter
modification may make a substantial im- relatively high reactance (at ham frequen- transformers and filters are available from
provement in such cases. Fig 1 shows the cies below 30 MHz) of the capacitors in Radio Shack'", TV dealers, electronics
schematic of a typical 300-ll high-pass series with the TV transmission line. stores and similar sources.-Jim Rafferty,
filter. The inductors serve to block VHF Open the filter case (usually plastic) and N6RJ, 5693 Grandview, Yorba Linda, CA
television signals and pass lower frequen- break the connection between the input and 92686
cies to ground; the capacitors pass VHF output inductors. Be sure there is no de AK7M: In addition to offering an obstacle to
and tend to block lower frequencies. When path between the coils. Complete the shield-conducted HF energy by breaking the
the filter is installed without a ground con- modification by closing the filter case. (If coax shield, this transformer-fijter-transformer
nection, however, the inductors form a the case breaks, a little tape and glue can fix may owe part of its success to inefficiency
low-frequency path around the capacitors! repair it.} of the 75-toM300M
transformers at HF.
{}
Try the filter and note the results. If the MORE ON CURING TVI WITH 300-ll
interference lessens, fundamental overload FILTERS AND 4:1 TRANSFORMERS
is at least part of the cause. If the improve-
D Jim Rafferty, N6RJ, reported curing
ment is substantial but not complete, try
TVl in 75-ll systems with 300-ll high-pass
cascading two modified filters.-James
filters and 4: I transformers. This cure has
Pentland, K03D, York, Pennsylvania
been making the rounds in many of the
6-Land newsletters for several years. It
Editor's Note: Many variablesare involved in TVI
cases, including the bandts), powers, TV works, and I have been investigating why
channels, antenna gains, equipment types and it works. After all, a 75-ll high-pass filter
grounding techniques employed. If you clear up should work fine in 75-0 cable!
a case of TVI with a filter modified as K03D sug-
.GROUND
gests, fundamental overloadwas almostcertainly
the sole interference culprit. Lack of successwith
such a filter, however, does not necessarilyprove
The only reason an effective 75-0 filter
may not work in a 75-0 coaxial-cable
system is that a common-mode signal ex-
that fundamental overload is not the primary ists. (A common-mode signal travels down
Fig 1-A typical 300-0 high-pass TV filter interfering agent. Also, in cases where funda-
mental overload and harmonic interference oc- coax, particularly on the outside of the
isn't much of a filter unless its GROUND
cur simultaneously, elimination of the fundamental coax braid, as if the coax is just one wire
terminal is connected to that elusive at the TV antennaterminals is onlyhalf of the cure.
commodity known as "a good RF ground." of a two-wire circuit.) If coax is doing its
To learn more about elimination of interference
Where unavailability of an RF ground to and from TVs and other electriclelectronic job, the RF currents on its center conductor
renders such a filter ineffective against devices, see ARRL's The ARRL Handbook and shield wire are of the same magnitude
fundamental overload, K03D suggests (Chapter 39) and Radio Frequency Interference, but opposite in phase. When this is so, the
cutting the common connection between and Radio Publications' Interference Handbook. coax acts like the transmission line it is,
the filter's input and output inductors at X. These books are available from your dealer or
ARRL HQ. providing source and return paths for the
The text tells why this may help.
signals it carries. Cheap (RF-Ieaky) coax,
306-ll FILTER IN 75-ll TV COAX CURES poorly installed connectors or poorly
Obviously, this problem is best solved by SHIELD-CONDUCTED TVI designed electronic equipment may cause
connecting the filter GROUND terminal to a o High-frequency RF traveling on the or support common-mode signal trans-
good RF ground. But "a good RF ground" shield of 75-ll TV feed tends to bypass 75-ll mission.
is not always available. As an alternative, high-pass filters installed in the line. In cases where such common-mode sig-
break the connection between the input and Solution: Use two 75-to-300-ll impedance nals cause interference solvable with a
output inductors (at X in Fig l). This transformer/baluns and a 300-0 high-pass 300-ll filter bracketed by 75-to-300-ll trans-
destroys the filter action, but leaves the filter as shown in Fig 2. Suitable formers, a choke made of ferrite beads
;1 ~
also be useful in reducing adjacent-band
interference in multiple-transmitter
installations.-Gary Nichols, KD9SV, 4100 -10
Fahlsing Rd, Woodburn, IN 46797 [7 I \\
V/ "
90. OeMaw, "Preamplifier for 80- and 160-M -'0
J 'I\.
Loopand Beverage Antennas," OST, Aug 1988
pp 22-24.
-'0
160m
I
'''- ~ ....
<, --
TRANSFORMER HUM
/
V /
/
/aOm ..:::::.::: -:::....
.
o After purchasing a Yaesu FT-90IDM -40
transceiver several years ago, I discovered
that there was 60-Hz hum on my signal
V I
I
Editor's Note: Ahhough there is some controversy Fig 11-Stylized oscillogram of a string of
BRIDGE TERMINALS: connected with the practice of bypassing power- dots sent with (A) ALe clipping and (B)
"'VAC INPUT supply rectifiers (see Steven D. Katz, "Diode ALC circuitry and/or DRIVE control adjustec:l
+ POSITIVE DC OUTPUT Failure," TechnlcaJ Correspondence, QST, April to minimize ALC action. On the air, the
- NEGATIVE DC OUTPUT
1988, PI' 46-47), unbyp8ssed power<luPl'ly diodes signal at B sounds "softer"-has less key
can produce an even more mysterious effect: clicks-than the signal depleted at A-
Hum during AM (rectification) detection of strong
Fig 10-Bypassing means providing a low- AM signals. Hummy AM reception with two
impedance ac (in this case, RF) path borrowed transceivers-an ICOM 1e-735 and a
around a component; here, O.l~p.F dlsc- Kenwood TS-4308-had me stumped until, on a
ceramic capacitors do the trick across hunch, I bypassed each arm of the bridge rectifier
rectifier diodes in a low-voltage de supply. in my Kenwood P8-20 power supply (see Fig 10). to lengthen the transmitter turn-on and
This drawing shows a full-wave bridge Hum ellminatedl (Bypass capacitors across the turn-off times.
rectifier circuit; in some applications, the power supply's 120 V ac input from hot to neutral, One cause of key clicks is improperly
bridge diodes are containec:l In a single and from hot and neutral to ground, had failed to
improve the situation.) adjusted ALe (automatic level control) in
unit, the leads of which are usually markec:l
as shown in the drawing. When bypassing Like Michael, I was using an indoor "random modern transmitters. If a transmitter's
wire" antenna at the time. The hum was also drive level is increased to the power at
a diode, use a capacitor with a voltage audible on strong CW signals, but it was easiest
rating equal to or greater than the PIV to detect during rectification detection of strong which its power output is limited by ALC.
rating of the diode. Capacitors rated at AM signals. Another mystery: Further tests the driving signal may be clipped enough
50 V should suffice for a 12 V dc supply revealed that the hum was present only in trans- by ALC action to shorten its rise and faIl
with a bridge rectifier. See text. ceivers that use step-tuned PLL VFOs; the hum
was nonexistent when I used the PS-20 with a times.
TS-l30V transceiverl (The 'l30V has a mechani- The solution to this is simple. On a rig
cally tuned LC VFO.) Your theories on the why that has a DRIVE control and an ALC
that sometimes caused by fluorescent lights. of these phenomena will be greatly appreciated! threshold control, adjust the ALC to limit
The noise was strongest between 3 and output power to slightly more than the
4 MHz. Tests indicated that the noise was desired level. Then, adjust the DRIVE con-
coming from the rectifier diodes in the REDUCING KEY CLICKS trol to provide the desired output power.
transceiver power supply (an Astron o Key clicks are an annoyance to other (As an example, I often adjust the ALC on
YS35M). Apparently. the switching operators and may mar your neighbors' my Ten-Tee Corsair transceiver for an out-
characteristic of the diodes resulted in the radio and television reception. As explained put of 100 Wand then turn down the drive
generation of wide-band noise. in The ARRL Handbook, clicks are most until the rig's output is 80 to 90 watts. This
Installing O.Ol-IlF capacitors in parallel commonly caused by turning the transmit- power reduction is unnoticeable to the
whh each of the diodes significantly ted carrier on or off too quick during the other operator. Fig 11 shows the stylized
reduced the noise, but did not eliminate it. keying process. The cure for such clicks is oscillogram of a string of dots emitted by
to 1
Amp Relay I t - - - - - - -T
~
....
break
connection
~cw ~UnUlJed
s~se;;---E3:~~8f----i---fl K2
to NO
lN4001
XCVR Amp-
Control Contoct K1 Connect to
lN4001 55-2 chassis J
12 V
+ Fig 12-Mike Meltzer solved RF "talkback" in his Hail S5-2 sound system with this circuit.
K1, a OPOT 12-V de relay (Radio Shacj($ no. 275-206), keys the power amplifier and 1<2.
1<2, a SPOT 12-V de relay (RS no. 275-248) mounted inside the S8-2, disconnects the
S8-2's speaker in transmit. 81 disables the speaker-eutoff relay for CW operation. The
diodes clamp the transients that occur when K1 and K2 are switched off. See text.
10-8 Chapter 10
my transceiver before and after I adjusted assembled the box with a star washer under K2SDD, 121 Clearview Rd, Dewitt. NY
the rig to reduce key clicks. each screw head. I reconnected all the gear 13214
Even if the ALC threshold of your rig exactly as before and presto-no RFI!
RF NOT THE CAUSE OF MOBILE-
cannot be adjusted, you can keep your Three years of frustration were over. DIGIPEATER-TRIGGERED CAR
keying from sharpening up too much by -Sid Kitrell, Wi'lL YM, 926 Leisure Ln, ALARM
adjusting the transmitter drive to just Sevierville, TN 37862
below the point at which the rig's ALC o Seeking to demonstrate the portability of
meter begins to deflect.-H. H. Hunter, SPEAKER SWITCHING AVOIDS RFI packet radio at the Shreveport (Louisiana)
W8TYX, 1106 Carolyn Ave, Columbus, PROBLEM Hamfest pack.et-radio forum, Sid Wilson Jr,
OH 43224 WB5GFM; Bob Funck, KB5GQ; and I set up
D My Heil SS-2 sound system suffered RF Sid's van and my van to operate as mobile
interference when I operated my linear am- digipeaters. The system allowed us, operat-
RFI FROM A MULTI-OUTLET BOX plifier. Installing bypass capacitors and fer- ing from inside a building with a laptop com-
D After installing computerized RTTY rite rings and beads, and grounding the puter, TNC and hand-held transceiver, to
gear, I experienced RFI in the form of SS-2's chassis, did not help. Unable to cure connect with a Dallas PBBS. All went well
"steel wool" on my monitor screen when the illness, I decided to work on its until someone reported hearing an intrusion
my beam was aimed over the roof of the symptom. alarm sounding from a white van-Sid's van.
shack. One day, when the interference was Most MF/HF transceivers include a relay The police officer on duty located Sid; Sid
especially intense, I decided to take another or transistor switch that's intended to con- reset the alarm and returned to the forum.
whack at plugging the RF leak. I unplugged trol an external power amplifier. I used this The alarm went off again when we next at-
cables one at a time from the RTTY feature to key an outboard DPDT relay, tempted to connect with the Dallas PBBS. Sid
modem until only the ac line remained. which, in turn, keys the amplifier and ac- and the policeman check.ed the van out again.
Keying the transmitter between each cable tuates a second relay mounted inside my Suspecting that RF energy from his trans-
disconnect had so far demonstrated no SS-2. The inboard SS-2 relay disconnects the ceiver or my transceiver (two cars away) was
reduction in the interference. Obviously, SS-2 speaker in transmit. No speaker con- the cause, Sid turned off the alarm.
Later investigation revealed that system
the RF was coming in on the ac line or nection, no RFI! (Fig 12 shows the circuit.)
voltage drop had triggered the alarm. Sid's
through the modem cabinet. Because Not wanting to drill holes in my SS-2, I re- 45-W mobile transceiver draws considerable
grounding the cabinet did not reduce the wired the external speaker lines in the SS-2's current in transmit. With the van's engineoff,
interference, I reckoned that the ac line was DIN jack to carry the drive for the speaker- this pulls'the van's battery voltage down far
the source of the leak. disabling relay (K2). enough to shift the alarm's trigger threshold.
As I studied the Drake LF-6 multi-outlet I have modified five Heil SS-2 systems as RF in the alarm, our strongest suspect, turned
box that served as the ac connection point described here for myself and my friends, out not to be the culprit. You may be able
for the station gear, I discovered that the and we are all very happy with the results. to save time by keeping our experience in
three-sided box cover was floating above One system can be modified in two to three mind when investigating apparent RF-caused
ground-even at de. I filed the finish off hours; the parts necessary for the modifi- glitches in level-sensitive equipment.-Van
the mating surfaces of the box and re- cation cost under $lO.-Mike Meltzer, Flynn, N5ARU, New Orleans, Louisiana
,
B Commodore 64 (C-64): 9-11
INDEX Baby-bottle balun:
Badge lights: .
. ...... 7-10
.... 9-5
Commodore MPS-1000 computer:
Compatibility, equipment: .... , .. ,
9-3
9-10
Bag for QAP station: . ....... 4-1 Computers:
Balanced dummy load: . .... 6-7 C-64: . . 9-11
Behrns: Digital modes: ,, 1-1
A
Baby bottle: .7-10 Dip-switch key: , .. , 9-3
AAA battery charging: 2-2 For TVI:.. .. 10-1 EIA-232-D keying interface:. . .9-16
AC power: Shieid choke: 7-9 Interference: 10-6
Safety: 9-7 Barbeque spit for coil winding:.. . . . 5-12 Concrete cutting:."."." 7-15
Switches:. . . . . . 9·1, 9·7 Batteries: Conductive:
Accukeyer for positive keying: 9-15 AAA charging:. .. . .. . .. . . 2-2 Glue: 5-20
Adhesive pads (PC boards):. .. . . .5-13 And conductive plastic: 2-3 Grease: . . 7-6
Advanced Receiver Research: Backup replacement:......... . . 1-13 Plastic and batteries: 2-3
MM144VDG protection:.. . 9-8 Charge labels:.. .. 2-2, 2-3 Tape antenna (144 MHz): 7-28
AEA PK-232:. . 1-1 Charger: 2-2, 2-3, 2-5 Tape antenna (440 MHz): 3-5
AEASOFT cartridge: . . . . .. 9-11 Charging tlrner: . .2-1 Conduit, wire pulling:. .. . .. . . .. 7-18
AGe control for HW-9: . . 1-5 Deep cycle:.. .. .. 2-1 Confidential Frequency List; . . . . . . .. 1·36
AGC system:. . . 5-8 Free NiCds:. . .2-1 Connections, quick, for safety: 9-7
Air-cleaner interference: . . . . . . . .10-5 Fusible links:. .. . 2-3 Connectors:
Airline shipping limits:. . . . 4-2 IC-2AT: . . . . 1-12 Auto de:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Alarm, doorbell:............ . .. 9-3 Icom BP-7 and BP-70:. .1-12 Cable breakage at:. . . . . . . . . . .7-8
Alternator connectors for de: 3-1 Icom BP2, BP3, BP4, BP5:. . . . . .2-2 Cable stripping: . , . , .. , . . . . . . . 7-6
Aluminum-gutter screen shielding: 5-21 Lead-acid: . . . . . . . 2-1 Faults: 3-5
AM broadcast receiver:. . 1-35 Polaplus: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2-1 Hardline: ,.,......... 7-6
Ameritron: AL·12QO:.......... . 1-1 Protective case:. . 2-3 Installation, BNC and N:. . . . .7-6
Amplifiers: Source: . . . . . . . 2-1 Installation, PL-259:. .. .. 7-1ft
And Kenwood transceivers:. . . .. 1-23 VCR: . . . . 2--1 Pin markings: 5-11
Dentron Clipperton L:. . . . 9-8 Beacons, VHF:. . 8-2 Pros and cons:. ........ . 7-4
Matching: 9-8 Beams: Protection: , , , 7-6
Power: , 1-1 Calibration: . . . . . .. . . 7-19 Replacement, multipin:. . .5-23
Source follower: 5-5 Matching:. . . . . . . 7-23 Solderless, coax:.. . . . 7-1
TR switching:. . . . . . . . . . . .1-7 to 1-9 Element mount:. . . . . , . . . .7-23 Vertical antennas:. . . . . . 7-29
Tube and socket repair: 5-23 Headings:. . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-2, 8-3 Construction:
AMTOR see "Rny" Quad, life:............. . 7-21 Boxes: , . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Antennas: Sigma: .. . 7-20 ~~I, winding:. . ,, 5-11
Adjustment:. . ..... 7-11, 7-14 Beep-Over: . . . . 9-2 D holes: 5-10
Beam headings: ..... 4-4,7-19,8-2,8-3 Bolts, spade:. . 5-20 PC boards: 5-12, 5-13
Beam matching:... .7-23 Boxes, from PC board:. . . 5-10 PC-board boxes:.. " 5-10
Broadband: 7-26 Brake control for HDR 300:. . 7-18 Pin identfication: ,5-11
Carrier: .. , . . . . . . . . 4-1, 4-2 Brass sheet source:. . ... , , .5-21 Tips: ".. . 5-11
Conductive tape: . .7-28 Breath-actuated key:. . . . 9-12 Contests:
Element mount.. . . 7-23 Broadband antennas: . . . . . , . . . . 7-26 Pencil control:. . , , 8·3
Indoor dipole: 1-26 Broadband circuitry:. . . 9-9 Practice: . . . . . , 9-11
Insulators: . . . . . 7-14 "Bug," Slow keying with a:...... . .9-12 Converter, 10115 meters to 80 meters:. 1-32
Inverted V:. . 7-13, 7-26 Built-in speaker grilles: 3-3 Copper-foil, connector installatlcn.. , 7-3
J: .. .. .. . .. 4-2, 7-31 Burglar-alarm tape antenna: 7-28 Cordless-phone RFI:...... . 10-3
Mag mount: ,.... . . . 3-6 Burying coax:.. ... . 7-8 Cores, ferrite: , 5-6,5-19,10-2
Plumbing fixtures for:. . 7-7 Butternut HF2V vertical antenna: 7-30 Correction-fluid labels: 5-15
Quad, life:............ . .. 7-21 Courtesy-tone generator: 9~2
Repair template:. . , 7-13 C Cover for thrust bearings: ,, 7-17
Ring-magnet sources:. . . 5·19 Cable breakage at connectors: 7-8 CPU reset: 1-12, 1-13, 9-8
I
RTV: . . .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. 7-9 Cable-jacket lubricant: 7-3 CO Ham Radio magazine: , . . 1-32, 7-20
Seating: 7-8 Capacitance, stray in measurements:, . . 6-3 Crank-Up tower motor:. . 7-17
Short dipole:........... . .. 7-27 Capacitors: Crystal sockets:".,...... . 5-20
Sigma beam:. . 7-20 Charge danger note:. . , .. 9-11 Current limiter:.......... . , , , .6-5
Snug tubing:. .. 7-14 Cure diode hum.. . . 5-3 Cushcraft A3 sealing:..... . 7-8
Standoff mount:... . 7-16 Repair:.. .. .. .. 5-18 CW: See aiso "Keying".. . ... . . .1-1
Switching: . . . . 7-24 Salvage from TV:. . ,5-18 Keying: ,........ . 1-13
Tower shields:. . , 7-15 Carrier, antenna:. . . . . 4-1, 4-2 Monitor, Heath HR-1680:.. .1·4
Vertical: . . . . 7-29 to 7-31 CATVI: 10-2 QSK AGC system: .. " 5-8
Whip tips:. .. 5-11 Ceramag 11:. . . . . . . . . , .5-6 Resonant speaker:. . . 9-16ff
Wooden mast:. . , 7-11 Chokes, as autotransformers: 5-6 TS·44OS:. . . . . . . . . . . .1-21, 1-22
1.8-MHz: . . . . . . . . 7-24 Cigar-lighter polarity tester: 3-2
2-meter J-pole or beam, portable: 4-2 Climbing, tower shields:.. . .. .7-15 D
2-meter mobile:. , , . . . . . . . 3-5 Clipperton L: 9-8 0-104 microphone: , .1-14
6-meter loop:. . . . . . . . . . 7-27 Club-night fun:....... .. .9-11 D-C receivers:. . . . . . . . 5-4
30/40-meter loop: .7-26 Coax: Deep-cycle batteries: ".. . .. 2-1
40/15 meters:. ., 7-25 ~~~:... ...........~ Demagnatize tools:. . . . ,5-12
ten-meter: . , ,7-24 Jacket lubricant... . 7-3 Deodorant-stick containers:. . . . .5-21
440·MHz tape: .. . .. 3-5 Parallel feed lines:. . 7-7 Detectors: , 5-4
Antistatic treatment: ,.,.. . 9-5 Stripping: . . . ., 7-6 Dexterity, with gloves: , 7-14
Apex template (antenna): , .. ,7-13 Strain relief: ,7-8 Dial slippage (HW-101):.. . 1-5
Aquadag: . . 5-20 Coax-Seal: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31 Digimax 0-500:. , , . . . ,6-1
Argosy 525 frequency jumps:. . , 1-27 Coax-Seal warning:.... . . . 7-8 Digital rnodes. . 1-1
ASCII transmissions, see "RTTY" Coaxial connector hood:.. . 7-5 Diodes:
Astatic [)..104 microphone: 1-14 Coil: At low voltages:... .. .... 5-3,5-4
Attenuator, 20-dB: 1-16 Dope:. . . .. .... 5-20 Clamp indicator:. ........... 5-2
Audio generator:. .6-4 Forms: . .5-18, 5-21 Hum: ..... " ... . ......... 5-3, 10-8
Audio VCO:.. .. .. .. . .. 8-4 Winding: . . . 5-12 Schottky: . ........... ...5-4
Audio-tape keyer:..... . 9·12 Collins: TR switch:. . . . .... 5-7
Auto speaker mounts:. . . , . . 3-3 R-390: ........ . ..... 1-2 Dip-switch key:. . .. .. 9-3
Auto-microprocessor interference: 10-5 R-392 connectors: . .. .. 5-23 Display, frequency:. , , ... .... 6-2
Award endorsement tracking:. . .8-3 VFOs: . . ... 5-6, 5-7 DMM range:. ... 6-3
165
Doorbell alarm: 9 M3
Garage-door opener interference: 10-4 BCI: 10-6
Double }J2-loop antenna: 7M21 Gauge wire: 5-11 Broken-shield coupler: 10-2, 10-3
Douole-stlck tape for coils:. .5 M11 Generators, protection: 2-6, 2-7 CATVI: 10-2
Dow Corning conductive grease: 7-6 GLB TNC message alarm:. . .9 M19 Computer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 10-8
Drake: Gloves: . . .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . 7M14 Cordless phones: 10M3
L75 amplifier repair:. . 5M23 Glue, conductive: 5-20 Oigipeater: 10-9
LF-6 outlet strip:. . . . . . . . . . .. 10-9 Ground-fault interrupterinterference:1Q-4, 10-5 Ford Taurus: 3·3
TR-5 and SB-200:....... . 1-7 Grounds: . . .9M7 FT-101ZJZD RFtaudio feedback: 1-29
TR-7: 1-2 Guy protectors:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 M16 FT-747GX oscillations: 9·7
Drift: 1-5, 1-29, 5-6 Garaqs-door opener: 10-4
Drill stops: 5-15 H Ground-fault interrupter: 10-4, 10·5
Drills, PC-pad:.......... . .. 5-14 Handbook bridged-T oscillator: 6-4 Heil SS-2: 10-9
Dry-transfer panel labels: 5-15 Handbook VXO transmitter: 1-36 IMD: 10-6
Dummy load: 6M7 Handicapped, aids for:. . 6M1, 6-4 Key cltcks: . . la-8
DXpedition antenna carrier: 4-1, 4-2 Hardline connectors:..... . 7-6 Modified high-pass filter: 10-1
DYKEM pens, etch resist:..... .5-13 Harmonic antennas:. . . . 7-25 Outlet box: 10-9
Head-operated tuning: 9M3 Phonograph: 10-6
E Headings, beam: 7-19 Power-supply noise: 5 M3,
10M7
Egg-beater antenna (2 meters): . . .4 M3
Headsets: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4 RF feedback, TS-130S: 1-20
EIAM232-D keying interface:. . . . 9M16 Heat sinks, home built:. . . . 5-18 Rodent repeller: 10-5
Electric-fence insulators:...... .7-14 Heath: Rotator: 7-18
Electronic Industries Association (EIA):1-14 _Matic keyer (SA-5010): 1-7 Spurs in TR M7: IM2
End mill for PC boards: . . . .5-12 HC-l0 monitor scope: 9-10 Street lamp: 10-6
Endorsement tracking (awards):.. . . .8-3 HR-1680: 1-4 Telephones: 10·3
Equipment compatibility:. .9-10 HW-l01:.... .. 1-5,9-14 Transformer hum: 10-7
Errors (measurement) in RF fields: . . .6 M6 HW-5400: 1-5, 1-7, 5-3 Transformers as filters: 1()..2
ETO amplifiers with TR-7:. . . .1-2 HW-9: 1-4, 1-5 Whistle switch: 10-5
HW-99: 1-5 Intermodulation distortion (IMO): 10-6
F SA-2060A Transmatch illumination: 9M5 International Radio and Computers: 1-4
Fans: SB-200: 1-7 to 1-9, 5-15, Inverted-V antenna: 7~13, 7-26
Lubrication: 1-11 SB-220:..... . 1-9 to 1-11, 5-23 J antenna: 4--2, 7·31
Quieting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5 Heil SS-2, interference: 1OM9
Safety screen:. . . 9-7 HF2V vertical antenna: 7-30 K
Fast-attack AGC:. . 5-8 High-current supply tip:. . 5-20 Kenwood:
Feed lines: High-VOltage meters:..... . 5M5 Band-Scope:. . . 1-19, 1-20
Burying coax:.. . 7-8 HOM10 monitor scope: 9-10 BS-5: . . . . 1-20
Coax breakage: . . . . . . . . . . .7M8 Holiday decoration, tower: . . '.' 7-19 BS-8:. . . . . . . . . . . 1-19, 1-20
Coax-Seal: 7-8, 7-31 Home-built keys: 9-13 MC-48: . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Ladder line:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7M9 HT dial-light switch: 3-3 MC-50: 9-2
Flexing: 7M7 Hum: 10-7, 10-8 R-5000: 1-22
Parallel coax: 7-7 "Hump" mobile mount: 3-2 SM-220:.. . .. .. 1-19, 1-20
Matching:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23 HW-l01:.. . . 1-5, 9-14 SP-930: 9-4
Shield choke balun: 7-9 HW-5400: 1-5, 1-7, 5-3 TL-922A: 1-23
Strain relief: 7-8 HW-99, YFO drift: 1-5 TM-2500t3500 scanning: 1-23
Feed-point cover: 7-31 Hy-Gain HOR 300 modifications: 7M18 TR-2500: 3-3, 9-4
Ferrell's Confidential Frequency Ust: . . 1-36 TR-2600A: 9-4
Ferrite: 5-6, 5M19, 10M2 I.J TR-7850 mobile mount: 3-1
Fiald Day: Icom: TR-793017950 scanning: 1-23
Antenna mast: 7Mll BP2, BP3, BP4, BPS: 2-2 TS-130S: 1-20, 4-1
Generator protection:.... . 2M6 1C-02AT: ... ' " .. .. . .. .. 1-12, 1-13 TS-140S oscillations: 9M]
Field-strength meter:....... . 6M6 1C-1271A backup battery:. . .. 1-13 TS-430S: 1-19, 1-21,5-3,8-2,9-2
Filament chokes, ferrite: 5-19 1C-271A1H backup battery: 1-13 TS-440S: 1-21, 1-22
Filament-pin repair (3-500Z):. . . . . . .5-22 1C-2AT: . . .. . . 1-12 TS-520S: 1-9, 9-8
File comb straightens coax braid: 7-6 1C-2GAT: 1-12 TS-820: 5-4
Filters: IC-471A1H backup battery: 1-13 TS-820S and Clipperton L: 9-8
As tuning aids.. . . . . . . . . .8-2 IC-701: 6-1 TS-830S: 1-19, 1-22, 1-23, 5-4, 8-2
Bandpass: . . . 10M7 IC-730: 1-13 TS-930S and Clipperton L: 9-8
Modified high-pass: 10M1 IC-735:. . . 1-14 to 1-16, 5-3 TS-940S: 1-8, 1-9, 1-19
Narrow IF for HW-9: 1-4 IC-740 and SB-220:..... . ... 1-9 TW-4000A: : .. . .. . 1-23
Resonant circuit: 5-2 1C-745: 1-13, 1-16 YFO-520 with FT-707:.. . 1-29
Resonant speaker for CW: 9-16, 9M17 IC-751 backup battery: 1-13 Keying:
RTTY for TS-430S: 1-21 IC-751A: 1-1, 1-16 Accukeyer: . . . . . . . . . .. . 9-15
300 MO in coax for TVI: 10-1 IC-761: 1-14, 1-17 Breath-actuated: . .. . .. . . 9-12
Fingers free of gloves: 7-14 IC-765:.. . . 1-17 Computer switching: 9-15
Fire protection: 2-7 UT·30 tone encoder: 1-14 Contact cleaning: 9-12
Flexible whip antenna: 7-31 ID badge lights: 9-5 EIA-232-D interlace: 9-16
Flexing of coax: 7M7 10 timer: 9-1 FT-102 clicks: 1-29
Float charging: 2-5 IF shift v variable-bandwidth tuning: 1-17 FT-757GX keyer speed: 1-30
Foot switch: 9-3 Illumination, SWR bridge: 9-5 Home-built keys: 9-13
Forrnufas, resonance:...... . 5-1 Indoor dipole antenna: 7-26 1C-730: 1-13
Foxfrango: 1-4 Inductors: Key clicks: 10M8
Frequency control, 1C-735: 1M15 Cores, ferrite:. . 5.19 Left-handed paddle operation: 9-12
Frequency counter (talking): 6-1 Forms:. . . . . . . . . . . 5M18, 5-21 MFJ Grandmaster: 1-25
Frequency measurement (transceiver): . . 6 M2
Measurement: &-3 Paddle stability: 9-12
FT-l02: 1-29 Insulators: Polarity problems: 9-13
FT-411 dial light: 3-3 Antenna: 7M14 Slow, with a 'bug': 9-12
FT-707 with Kenwood YFC-520: 1-29 Ladder line: 7-9 ~~~WP and HW-l01: 9-14
FT-747GX oscillations: 9M7 Testing: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. 6M6 audio tape 9-12
Furniture leg caps:. . . . 7M6 Interface, solid-state and tube gear: . .. 9-10 Keypad visibility: IM22
Fuses: 5.17, 9-7 Interference: Knife-switch resistance:....... . .. 5-23
Air cleaner: 10-5
o Automobile microprocessor: 10-5 L
GaAsFET preamp protection:. . . ... . 9-8 Baluns for TVs:. . .. . . 10-1 Labels: ................... 5-15ff
166
Ladder line construction: 7-9 One MOSFET Converter: 1-32 Knife switch:....... . 5~23
Lamps: .. " . .. . .. . .. . .. . . , .. 5-12 One-shot timer: 2-1 Coil slugs: 5-11
LCD displays and static.. . . . . 9~5 Open-wire line, see "Ladder line" Mobile antenna:.... . 3-5
Lead-acto batteries:... . .2-1 Oscillators (see VFO): Nut replacement: , 5-20
LED panel mount:. .5-21 Audio: 6-4 Resistors: .. , 5-1
Lexan plastic: . .5-20 Oscilloscope dual-trace converter: 6-6 Transistors: 5-18
LF-6 outlet strip:. . . . . .10-9 Outlet box EMI:....... . .. 10-9 Tube caps: 5-17, 5-23
Lightning safety:. .. . .. . .. . .. . . 9-7 Output power of VFOs:. . 5-7 Vacuum tubes: 5-21
Lloyd's stainless-steel flux:. . 5-16 Overvoltage indicator:.. . 5-2 2C39 heater connections: 5-23
Load sensing: 5-20 Overvoltage protection:. . 2-6 Resistance measurement: , .. 6-3
Loop, double ),/2:.. . .. . .. . .. . . . .. 7-21 Resistor substitution:., , , .. 5-1
Loss (RF) test:.. .. .. .. .. . .. .. 6-6 p Resonance formula: ' 5-1
Lumocolor pens, etch resist: 5-13 Pack for CRP station:.. . .. 4-1 RF probes: 5-3, 5-4
Packet (HF, see "RTTY") RF properties test.. . . . 6-6
M Connect alarm: 9-18, 9-19 RF-sensing mobile fan:. . . . 3-2
Mag-mount antennas:. .... 3-6 Digipeater interference:..... . 1Q..9 Rlnq-maqnet sources: 5-19
Mast, antenna: , . ... 7-11 Switch box:,... . 9~18 RIT, improved, HW-5400: 1·5
Matching, beam: . ....... 7-23 Paddle stability:. . 9-12 Robot 800C as typewriter: , 9-11
Me-48 microphone: . .... 1-23 Panoramic display:.. . .. . . 1·19 Rodent-repeller interference: 10·5
Me-SO/50:... .. . ... 9-2, 9-4 Paper-clip meter shunts:. . .5-20 Rohn 25 tower:.. . . .. . .. . .. . .. .7-16
MC1350P AGC circuit: . ..... 5-8 Parallel connected coax:. . . . 7-7 Roller inductor switch: 5-1
Measurements: . .. 6-3, 6-6 Passband tuning:...... . .1-17 Rotators:.... ...... .. .. 7-15, 7-18
Meters: PC-board boxes:. . . . 5-10 RS-232-C, see "EIA-232-D"
High voltage: . . ....... 5-5 pe-pad drills:. .. 5-14 RTTY: . . . .. . .. . .. . . 1-1
Illumination:. . . . . ......... .. .. 9-5 Pencil control for contests: 8-3 ALC: '" 9-4
New faces: .. ... 5-14 Petroleum jelly and coax:. . . . . . . . 7-3 Computer swltchlnq.. . . . 9-15
Plate current:. .... 5-5 Phonograph interference: 10-6 Filter for TS-430S: 1·21
Shunts: . ... 5-20 Photocopier film (PC board): 5-14 Tuning aid: . . 9-10
MFJ: Pigtails adjust antenna:.. . , .7-14 RTV: . . .. . .. . . .. . .. . .. . 7-9
484 keyer: .. .1-25 Pin identification:...... .5-11
9xx tuners.. .1-26 PL-259 lnstatlatlon: . . .. . .7-1ff S
949D mobile: ... . 3·1 Plate-cap connectors:. . . , 5~3 SA-SOlO, Heeth _Matic keyer: 1-7
Microphones: prate-current meters:. . .5-5 Safety:
MC-48: . .1-23 Plug-in breadboards and IC sockets:.. 5-11 AC wiring practices: 9·7
Me-60/50: . . . . . . . . . . .. 9-2, 9-4 Plumbing fixtures for antennas:. . . . 7-7 Concrete cutting:........... ..7-15
Gain adjustments: 8·1 Polaplus batteries:......... . . . 2-1 Generator, fire:........... . 2-7
Icom with D-104: 1-14 Polarity tester (automotive): 3-2 High voltage:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Microphonics: .. , . . . . . . . . 5-3 Portable antennas: ,, 4-2 to 4-4 Lightning: 9-7
Microprocessor, reset: 1-12, 1-13,9-8 Power fold back circuits: , 9-9 Tilt up towers:. . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
Microwave oven, for testing:. . . . . 6-6 Power supplies:. . . . 2-3, 2-5 Tower shields: , 7-15
Milk-crate mobile:. . . , . , . .. . . .3-1 High current: 5-20 Sanford Sharpie pens, etch resist: 5-13
Mini-Miser's Receiver:.. . .1-33 Noise: . . . . . . . . . 10-7 SB-200 TR switching: 1-7, 1-8, 1-9
MM144VDG, protection:. . ..... 9-8 24-28 V: 5-1 SB-220: 1-9 to 1-11
Mobile: Preamplifier protection: , 9-8 Scanning for TM-2500/3500:. . .1-23
Antenna repair:. . . . . . 3-5 Predrilled PC boards.. . .. . .5-14 Scenning for TR-793017950: 1-23
Dial-light switch:. . , 3-3 Product-detector performance:.... . .5-4 Scratches, mag mount:. . . 3-6
Digipeater: ,, 10-9 Pros and cons, solderless connectors:. . 7-4 Sequential ac-power switch: 9-1
Hump mount:.......... . . . 3-2 Protection, SWR:. . 9-9 Series-section transformer: 7-23
Mag-mount antennas: 3-6 Pruning, antenna:. , . . . . . . 7-11 Shield choke balun:. . . . 7-9
HTX-100 SWR:......... .. 1-26 PVC guy protectors:. . 7-16 Side mount for towers: 7·16
RF sensing fan:.......... . ,3-2 Sigma beam antenna: 7-20
Ring-magnet sources:. . , . . 5-19 Q Sil-Strong solder:. . 5-18
Station in crate:... . 3-1 Q-section transformer:.,. . .7·23 Single sideband:. . 1-2
Tape antenna: , 3-5 CRP: Slide element mount:. . , .7-23
Whip stabilizer:.. . 3-4 Carrier: ,... . 4-1 Sockets, 3-500Z, repalr: . . 5-23
Modems, switching:........... . . . 9-15 Resonant filter:.. . . 5-2 Sockets, crystal: 5-20
Modified work gloves:. . 7-14 TR switch:.... . 5-7 Soldering:
Molykote 41:.. .... .. 7-6 CSK AGC system:. .. 5-8 Connectors:. . , 7-5
Muffin fans: QSK amplifiers with TR-7:. . . 1-2 To stainless steel: 5-16ff
Mobile: . .. . .. . . 3-2 QSL holders:.. , . . . . . . . . . . 9-11 Solid-stateltube interfacing: , . . 9-10
Quieting: . . . 9-5 OST bags for heat shnnk: . 5~21 Source-follower amplifier:.. . 5-5
Safety:. . . . . . 9-7 QST storage: . . . . . 9-11 Spade bolts:. . 5-20
Multiband antennas:7-24 to 7-26, 7-29, 7-30 Quad antenna life:. . . 7-21 Speakers:
Multipin connectors:. . .. . 5-23 Quiet muftin tans., . . 9-5 Auto mounts:. . .. , 3-3
Outboard: . . . . . . 9-4
N R Resonant, for CW: 9-16, 9-17
Nail polish, etch resist:...... . .5-13 R-390, Collins receiver:. . · .. 1-2 SP-930: . .. ... 9-4
National Weather Service as beacons: .. 8-2 R-5ODO keypad visibility: .... · .1·22 Switching and RFI:. . .10-9
Neophyte receiver: 1-35, 1-36 R3 (Cushcraft) antenna: . . .... 7-8 Speedy Tune:.. .. .. 1-7
New meter faces:.... . 5-14 Radial materials: , . .7-29 Sponge, soldering: 5·11
NiCds, free:. . ," 2-1 Radio Shack HTX-100: .. .1-26 Spurs, in TR-7: , 1-2
NOAA stations as beacons: 8-2 Radioless fun: . . . . . · .9-11 SS-2 sound-system interference: 10-9
Noise: Receivers: Stackpole Ceramag 11:. . . . . . 5-6
Diode hum cure:. . . . . . . . . . . .5-3 As audio generator:. . 6-4 Staedler Lumocolor pens etch resist: .. 5-13
Ford Taurus:.. . . . . . . . . .3-3 As neutralization indicator:. . . . 6-3 Stainless steel, soldering: 5-16ff
From connectors:. . 7-1 D-C, AM detection:. . . . . . . ... 5-4 Standby switch, SB-220/221: 1-9
In detectors: , 5-4 To measure frequency:. . .6-2 Standoff antenna mount: 7-16
Suppression for HDR 300:.. . . 7-18 Tricks for noisy bands:. . . . . .... ,8-2 Static, and Heath SA-5010:. . 1-7
Noise~bridge techniques: 6-6, 8-1 10· and 18-MHz:............ . .5-10 Stay bright solder:.... .. .. .. .. .. .5-16
Notch filter, for tuning: . . . . .. 8~2 Reed switch for HT dial light:. . 3-3 Storing QST:........ .. 9-11
Nuts, replacement:. . .5-20 Relay contact pitting:. , . . . . 1-10 Strain relief for coax: 7·8
Repair: Stray capacitance:...... . . 6~3
o Capacitors: . . ...... 5-18 Street-lamp interference: 10-6
Ohmmeter range: .. . .. 6-3 Fuses: ... · . 5-17
167
Switches: Solder sponge: 5-11 W
Foot: 9-3 Spring-open pliers: 5-11 Water drives ground rooe.. . 9-7
Roller inductor:. . 5-1 Wire stripping: 5-11 Weather protection:....... . 7-31
SWL, utility receiver.. . 1-35 Work lamps: 5-12 Whip-antenna stabilizer: 3-4
SWR: Toroidal cores:.......... . .. , , 5-6 "Whippy whip" antenna: 7~31
And connectors:............ . 7·1 Towers: Whistle-switch interference: , , .10-5
And RF feedback: 5-3 Beam calibration: 7-19 "Willie" ball Insulators: 7-14
Baby-bottle balun: 7-10 Crank-up motor: , .. "... . . 7-17 Wire:
8eam matching: 7-23 Guy protectors:. . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16 Ground: 9-7
Bridge illumination: 9-5 HDR 300 modifications:. . . . .7-18 Gauge: 5-11
Protection: , .. , .. , , .. 9-8, 9~9 Holiday decoration: 7-19 In conduit: 7-18
Shield choke bahm: . . 7-9 Shields: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-15 Storage, Straightening, Stripping: 5-11
Standoff mount: 7-16 WirinQ. practices:. . . . 9-7
T Thrust-bearing cover: 7-17 Work lamps:................ .. .. 5-12
T-195 surplus VFO: 5-6 Till up: 7-17 WWV receiver: 1-35
"Talking" capacitors: 5-3 U-100 modification:.. . 7-18
Talking frequency display: 6-1 Universal joints:.... .. 7-15 y·z
Techniques: TR switches: 5-7, 5-8 Yaesu:
Capacitor drive belts:. . 5-21 TR-25OO: .. .. .. .. 3-3, 9-4 FP-757HD: . .. 5-3
Coil dope: 5-20 TR-2800A, headset:.......... .. 9-4 FT-l01 ZlZD: , 1-29
Coil forms: 5-18, 5-21 TR-7, Drake transceiver:. . . . . . . 1-2 FT-l02: . . .. . . .. . .. 1-29
Coil winding:...... . .5-12 TR-7930/7950 scanning:. .1-23 FT-23R low power adjust: 1-29
Conductive glue:. . . . 5-20 Transceiver frequency display:. . 6-2 FT-411 dial light: 3-3
Crystal sockets:... . 5-20 Transformer hum:. . . . . . . . . 10-7 FT-707 with Kenwood VFO-520: 1-29
Demagnetize tools:. . 5-12 Transistor substitution: . . . . . 5-18 FT-747GX oscillations: 9-7
Ferrite sources:... . . 5~19 Trap antenna (1.8 MHz): 7-24 FT-757GX: 1-30, 3-1
Force fit:...... .. 5-17 TS-13OS: 1-20, 4-1 Zero beat tuning: 8-2
Fuse removal: 5-17 TS-140S: 9-7
Heat shrink: 5-21 TS-43OS: 1-19, 1-21, 5-3, 8-2, 9-2 t.8-MHz antennas: 7-24, 7-30
Heat sinks:......... . 5-18 TS-440S: 1-21, 1-22 1/4" knobs on 3/16" shafts: 5-14
Labels: 5-1511 TS-520S: 1-9, 9-8 z-meter antennas: 3-5, 7~28, 7~31
LED panel mount: ,5-21 TS-820S: 9-8 2C39 heater connections:. . . . .5-23
Load sensing:......... .. 5-20 TS-830S: 1-19, 1-22, 1-23, 5-4, 8-2 3-4002 tube repair:. . . . . . . . . . S~22
Loose coil slugs: 5~ 11 TS-930S: .. .. .. .. . .. .. 9-8 3-5OOZ replacement: ,., 0
New meter faces: 5-14 Tubing, snug fit: 7-14 3-5002 tube repair: . . 5-22
Nut replacement: 5-20 Tubing reducer as coax hood: 7-5 3.5-MHz loop for 1.8: 7-24
PC boards: 5-1211 Tullak plastic: 5-20 6-meter loop antenna: 7~27
Plastic polish:........ .. .. 5-15 Tune-up aids;.............. . .8-1 7.a-MHz:
Plate-cap connectors: , .. , .. 5-23 Tune-up labels:........... .5-15 Antennas: 7-25, 7-26, 7-27
Predrilled PC boards: 5-14 Tuning capacitors, from TV: , 5~1S Receiver: . . . . . . . . 1-33
Salvage TV capacitors: 5-18 Tuning, head operated: 9-3 7/1G-MHz loop antenna: 7-26
Shield material: 5-21 TV yokes as ferrite source:. .5-19, 10-2 10- to SO-meter converter: 1-32
Soldering stainless eteei... 5-16 TVI, see "Interference" 10-meter beam: "., .. 7-20
TUbe-cap repair:.......... .. .. 5-17 TW-4000A: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23 10-MHz receiver: 1-33
Vacuum-tube repair: , , . , .5-21 10-minute timer: , 9-1
Whip tips:................ .. .. 5-11 U 12-V power system: , 2-3
Wire: 5-11 U-l00 rotator:............ .. .. 7-18 15- to so-meter converter: , 1~32
1/4'" knobs on 3116" shafts: 5-14 UG-175/176 adapter: 7-1 ts-meter dipole: "., 7·25
2C39 heater connections: 5-23 Umbrella antenna: 7-31 ts-meter loop antenna: 7~21
Template for antenna repair: , . , , .7-13 United Parcel Service limits: 4-1 15-meter receiver: " 1-36
Ten-Tee: Universal joints, rotator: , 7-15 18-MHz QRP transmitter: 1-38
Argosy 525 frequency jumps: 1~27 Utility station receiver (SWL):. . . . . . 1-35 21- to 3.5-MHz converter: , 1-32
Omni VFO leakage: " 1-26 21-MHz:
243 VFO leakage:.. .. .. .. .. .. 1-26 Y Dipole: . . . . . . . . . .. . 7-25
425 amplifier with TR-7: 1-2 Vacuum cleaner pulls wires: 7-18 Loop antenna: , .. , 7-21
Tenna Phase III power supply: 5-3 Vacuum-tube repair: 5-21 Receiver: , . . . . . . . . 1-36
Thermal-drift: , 1-5, 5-6 Variable-bandwidth tuning v IF shift: .. 1-17 28- to 3.5-MHz converter: 1-32
Thrust-bearing cover: 7~ 17 VCO, audio: 6-4 28-MHz beam:..... . 7-20
Tilt-up tower safety: ,, 7-17 VCR bauerles: 2-1 30-meter receiver:.. , 1-33
Timer, battery charging: 2~1 VCR belts drive capacitors: 5-21 30/40-meter loop antenna: , .7-26
TL-922A: . . . . . . . 1-23 Vertical feed-point cover:. . .7-31 40-meter:
TM-2500/3500: . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23 VFO: Antennas: , , . . 7-25, 7-26, 7-27
TNC, see "Packet" Drift: . . . . . . . . .. . 1-5, 1-29, 5-6 Receiver: , , , , . 1-33
Tone source, tuning: ,8-1 JFET:. . 5-7 SO-MHz loop antenna: , 7-27
Tones, subaudible: , 1-14 Leakage (Ten-Tee 243): 1-26 7a-cm tape antenna: 3-5
Tools: Output power: 5-7 70E-8170H-3 VFO: 5-7
Demagnetizing: . . . . . ... , .... 5-12 Transistor conversions: S-6 50-meter loop for 160: 7-24
Drill stops:.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5-15 VHF and ground-fault interrupters: 10-4 100TH tube repair: 5-21
Etch-resist pens: , .. 5-13 VHF beacons: ,,.. . 8-2 144-MHz antennas: 3-5, 7-28, 7-31
Labels: 5-11 Vibroplex, slow keying speeds: , . . 9-12 160-meter antenna: ,. 7-24
PC boards: 5-1211 VOX:............ .. .. 1-1, 1-22 160-meter vertical antenna: 7-30
PC-pad drills:..... . 5-14 VXO transmitter: , 1-36 44O-MHz tape antenna: , ,3-S
Solder dispenser: , 5-11 800C (Robot) as typewriter: 9-11
168
A Dingle, Robert L.: .. ; 9-18 Janus, Joseph J.: 2-2 Meyer, Mark: 5-19
Agaten, Mike: 1-2 Dolan, Phillip D.:.. . . . . . .7-6 Jeffery, Jay M.: 9-7 Michaels, Charles J.: 1-19, 1·27,
Aitken, Hugh: 7-8 Dolder, Werner:. . . . . . . . .3-4 Jensen, Robert: 6-4 10-5
Akrs, Ron: , , 1-22 Douglas, Jim:. . . . . . . . . . . 1·5 Jochem, Warren: 1004- Millar, Doug: 5-4
Alexander, Paul: 9-13 Johnson, Don: 7-8 Millard, Wally: 9-16, 9-17
Anderson, Fred:
Anderson, Peter Traneus:
Ansolerra, James:
9·11
5-6
4-2
•
Edwin, Dick: 5·12
Johnson, Gerald N., Dr:
Johnson, Harvey:
8·2
7-24
Miller, Dave:. .
Mills, Wayne:.
.1·21, 7-4, 7·5
. .5-23
Elkins, 1. Dean: 8-1 Johnson, Ken: 1-2 Mitsuma, Kunia:... . .5-16
Armbrust, Burton W.: 7·1 Ellers, Richard:..... . 5·17 Jones, K. C.: 10-4 Mollentine, Richard: 7·5
Atkins, Paul: 5-14, 7-21 Elson, Jeff: '. .. . 1·22 Jones, Thomas: 1-26 Moman, Don: 5-4
Atlas, Howard T.:....... .3-5 Ensanian, Ber] N.: 5-21, 6-6 Juze, Marv: 1-13 Monahan, W. A. "Spud": 8-3
Audiss, Lyle and Gary:.. . .. 1-5 Epplay, Bill: 9-11 MorrIs, John L.: 1().5
Erdman, Arthur C.: 6-7,9-12 K Muehlhausen, Mark H.: 1-25
B Ettenhofer, Mike:.... .7·16 Kabak, Ed: 2-3 Munford, Kenneth S.: 7-23
Baird, Bob: 2-1 Evans, John:.. .5·12 Kabak, Edward R.:.. .. .. 2-3 Murdoch, Larry D.: 1-16
Baker, Charles P.:, 6-6,9-7 Kaitchuck, Dick:... . . . .. 7·21 Myers, Harold C.: , 5·19
Barczak, Stan: 9-7 F Kammerer, George:. . . .. 9·1B
Barker, David:..... . ,. 10-6
Barry, Larry A.:
Barton, David M.:
" 7-26
5-19
Falls, Dorth:
Fentem, David R.:
2-1
1·14
Kaplan, Stan:.......
Karl, Ed:
. .. 7·11
7·19 "Nagy, Bob:. . . . . . . . .. 9-3
Fleming, William L.: .5-20 Kauffman, Karl: 5·23 Naimi, Oscar:. . . . . . .7-31
Bates, Herbert T.: 6-3 Flint, Kenneth 0.: 1·21 Kayser, Larry:...... . 5·21 Neidlinger, Philip:. . . 1-20
Beaumont ARC: 5-21 Flynn, Van: " .. 7-28, 10-9 Keenan, Harold:. . . .. .5·11, 9-3 Nelson, Jack: ... , ... , ..... 5-23
Senary, Eldad: 1-20 Fox, James: 7·31 Keplinger, Robert:... . .. 1·21 Newkirk, David: .. 1-32, 1·36, 5-3,
Berg, E. R.: ,., 6-6 Franklin, Lloyd: 5·16 Kern, Myron A.: 1·29 5-10, 5-20, 6-2, 9-9, 10-3
Berkman. Vince: 7-29 Frenaye, Tom: 4-1 Kersten, John R:... . .. 7·17 Newkirk, Rod: 9-11
Black, Guy: 7-6 Fray, Dick: 1-2, 1-26 Kimbell, William L.: 2-1 Nichols, Gary: 10·7
Blackburn, Andrew: 1·20 Frost, David C.:.... .9-12 King, Dexter:....... . 1-7 NIckerson, Ed: 5-16
Blake, Clyda:. .9-7 Fullmer, Mike:..... .10-5 King, John P.:. . .. 7·10 Niedermeyer, Thomas: 104-
Blesy, Harry:.... . 7-14 Fulton, Wilbur:..... . .... 1·7 Kitrell, Sid: 10-9 Norback, John 0.: .. , 5-22
Bliss, Peter H.:.... . 7·5 Klaus, George H.: , .2-3,5-3 North, Safford M.: 5-15
Boden, Evan H.: 3·3 a Koeppe, Roy C.: 7·24 Nouel, Cornelio: 6-3
Boles, John G.: 3-6 Galante, Tom:. . 1·29 Kogure, Aki: 7·20 Nowakowski, Gasey: 1·12
Bollar, Wally: 5-1 Gallaghar, John W., PE: 5-3 Kolthoff, Ken:...... . .5-23
Bramwell, Denton: 5-4 Gamble, Peter: 1·29 Kott, Nancy:..... . .. 1·5 o
Brenner, Jim: .... 4·2, 5-23, 7·26 Garretson, Hank: 1-1 Koutnlk, Paul G.: 9-5 O'Connall, Ted: 1-15
Bridgham, Willard: 5·11 Gelineau, Antonio G. 0.: 5·20 Kramer, Manny:. . . . 1-26 Oakberg, Betty: 7-15
Brogdon, AI: 9-4 Gerber, Gary: 10-5 Kroenert, J. T.:.. . .1-23 Olbrechts, Guy: 1-1
Brown, David A.: 5-11 Golden, Jack P.: 1-22 Krugaluk, Art: 1-15 Old, Marland M.: 3·5
Brown, Robert E.: 7-15 Golodich, George R.: 8·2 Kucera, Lad:... . .7·7 Oldham, Larry: 1-29
Bryant, Jay: 5·17 Golovchenko, Boris: 5-11 Kuehn, Bob:. . . 5-2
Burch, Roger:' 1·30, 7-15 Graalman, Mark S.: 10·2 P
Burdick, Wayne: 1-36 Grabowski, Robart J.: 5-13 L Pagel, Paul:. . 9·11
BUShnell, Nate: 7·31 Grandison, Earte: 1-16 Lacey, Pat: .... '" . . .1·29 Palmer, Fred:. . 1-13
Butts, W. Burt: 5·21 Gray, Scott: 5·15 Lackey, Bruce E.:... . .2-3 Parnell, John:. . 7·2
Buttschardt, C.: 7-7 Greenstein, AI: 9-5 Lamb, Colin: 5-20 Payne, Sam: 7-28
Gregory, Warren: 3-4 Lamb, Dick: 8-1 Pelham, John: 1-16
C Grey, Kurt U.: 7-7 Lang, Claudia J.:.... . .9-7 Pentland, James: 10-1
Cardwell, Martin L.: 6-4, 9·8 Gribben, Floyd B.: 7-29 Lang, Howard M.: 3-6 Peters, A. F. "Pete": 8-1
Carr, Ronald: 5·7 Grimes, Stan: 7-27 Lau, Zack: 4-4, 5·7, 5·10, Pierlott, Robert G., III: 7·30
Capella, Otto: 2-3 Grimmlnger, Steve: 7-15 5-11,5-14,7-6 Polen, David: 5-11
Chamberlin, David M.: 7·5 Gruenwald, John R.: 1-13 Lauder, Gordon: 9·5 Porter, Dave: 10-5
Chester, Don:. . 5·7 Guge, Ken, Sr: 7-4 Leavitt, Jim: ,2·7 Powell, Robert:... .. .. 7-17
Christensen, D. F.: 9-3 Guimont, Dave: 7·18 Leibowitz, Melvin: 5·1 Preble, Clyde W.:. .. .. 9-11
Christensen, Paul B.: 9-19 Guski, Rich: 1·17 Levin, Marty and Dan: 5·17, Premena, S.: 5-14
Ciciarelli, J. A.: 7·8 5-21,6-7,7-13 Priestly, James J.: 2-7
Clark, J. Craig, Jr: 7-29 Lewallen, Roy: 5-14
Clemons, Michael K.:
Cleveland, James:
3-3
1-12
"
Haldeman, Bruce M.:
Hamlin, Jay F.:......... .3-2
7-1 Ley, Herb:.........
Ubbin, Bob:
. .. 1-33
9·15
R
Raffaele, Bob:, 7·14, 7-25
Colbart, Timothy N.: 4-1, 5-11 Hansen, Lynn H.: 9-19 Locher, Bob:..... . 7-8 Rafferty, Jim: 10-1
Comfort, Alax, MD: 5-12,7-14 Hays, Christopher B.: 1·9 LoRe, John J.:....... .. .. 7-5 Range, Vernon D., Jr: , .1·5
Conklin, John: 9-1 Hayward, Wes: 5·8 Lorenz, Julian S., MD: 9·12 Raub, Ned: .. " 7-17
Conowal, Harry: 5-23 Healy, Rus: 10-4 Losch, Frederick D.: 9·18 Read, Harold J.: 5-15
Constable, A. F.: 1·8 Hebert, James: 1-7, 1-9 Lovell, Sherman: 5·2 Reaser, Scott: 6-3
Cook, Lin: 3-2 Hecker, Eugene: 7·27, 9-1 Lowe, Jay: 7-15 Redburn, Fred: 5-20
Cooper, Drayton: 7-29, 8-2 Hedtke, John V.: 5-11 Ludwig, Dale M.:.. .. . 7-29 Reed, Frank A., Jr: 5-15,7-14
Coopar, Wayna W.: 10-2 Hemmings, Brian: 10-3 Lund, Steve:. .10·1 Reinke, John: 9·2
COO1e, James G.:. . .. 7·29 Herb, James: 5·11, 5-11 Lustig, Ray: 7·14 Rennaker, Russ: 9-15
Corse, Bill:
Cott, Thomas:
Cotterman, Charlie:
Cramer, Daryl S.:
5-16
7-6
3-1
1-23
Hermann, George:
Hertzberg, Joe:.
Hinshaw, Bob:.....
5-6
. . . 10-7
Hesselbrock, Ronald E.: ..... 3-3
. .. 9-7
.
Lyon, Terry L.:. " .
:5-4
Rice, Joe:
Robson, Peter:
Rodman, David, MD:
Romltl, P. (SK):
Runninger, John E.: .. ,
5·1, 9-12
5·14
6-6
7-26
6-1
Crayford, Gordon: 5-5, 6-2 Hirsch, Ralph M.: 7·3 Mackey, James E.: 10-6
Cripps, Dennis: 2-1 Hollenbeck, Jack G.: .. 1()'3, 10-4 Mandelkern, Mark: , .. ..5-5
Cromwell, Bob:
Cupps, Hal:
Czuha]ewski, Michael A.:
1-35
9-4
9·8
Hood, Elliott:
Hopkins, George:. . .
7-16
2-1
Mann, G. Miles:
Manning, George G.:
Marquart, Hugo P.:
1-14
3-6
1().3
•
Sasson, Maurice, MD: ... 9-3, 904-
Schetgen, Bob: ..... 2-2, 7·1, 7·9
Hopkins, Robert: 7·31
Hovorka, George:.. . 5-18 Martinson, Oscar: 5-18 Schrock, Rodney K.: 5-18
D Howard, "Uncle Vern": 1·13 Masek, Joseph: 4-3 Schuster, Jack:.. . 3-3
D'Anneo, Paul: 7·18 Howard, Lew: 5·1, 6-5 Matlock, Joe: 7-28 Sears, Stanley P.: 1·23
Davis, Henry: 7-31 Humphreys, Cy: 10-8 May, Ken:...... . 9-3 Shapiro, Gene: 5·11
De Vito, Anthony: 7-13 Hunter, H. H.: 1Q.8 McCann, Jack: 7-15 Showalter, Lawrence: 7·31
DeCicco, John:.. . 1-7 Hunter, Kurt E.: 1·19 McGarity, Marvin J.:. . . .7-4 Shulman, Ivan: 2-1
Dees, Michael: 10-7 McKay, Bob: 7·5 Siegel, John: 9-8
DeJarlais, Philip:..... .5-21 •..1 McLeod, Pat: 9-18 Signorelli, Paul R.: 1-21
Del Nero, Roger: 5-17 lsenring, Harold: 5-4 McNally, I. L. "Mac": 7-5 Simmerman, Hal: 5-11
Demaree, Jack: 5-11 Jablin, Julian N.: 5·12 Measures, Richard L.: 1-10, Simms, J. M.: 5-19,7-14
DeMaw, Doug: 3-2 Jacobs, William: 7-18 1-11, 6-3, 7-9 Sjomeling, Arne, Jr: 5·19
Devenish, Fred (SK): 2·2 Jaeger, Richard C.: 1·8, 1-9 Meltzer, Mike: 10-9 Slavin, Mort: 9-5
169
Smardon, AI: 1-7, 9-18 Swancara, John ....... 9-16 Wagner, Roger: 7-6 Wright, Ronald E.: 5-15
Smith, James: 5-18 Swenson, Daniel C.:.. . .. 6-4 Waite, Willard W .2-5 Yingling, Glenn:... . .5-13
Smithmeyer, Louis: 5-20 Swynar, Edward Peter: ..... 7-8, Walker, Edwin B 5-18 Zaimes, Jon:.,... . 1-25
Snow, Edson B.: , .5-16 9-12.10-6 Wavra, Joseph J., Jr: ,1-12 Zavarella, Art.. . . 7-1, 9-13
Sobel, Jack:. . . . . .. 5-20 Weber, Erwin:... . 9-4 Zavrel, Robert: 7-23
Sorensen, Carl G.: 3-5 T·Z Weiss, Jim:..... . 9-17 Zinder, Dave, PE: , .. 10-3
Stark, Larry:.. . .5-19 Tindall, Mal: 8~3 Weller, Albert E 6-6 Zurneck, Helmut:.. . . . . 5~3
Stein, Robert. . . 7-24 Turner, Tom:..... . 3-3 Wertz, Bob:. . 7~19 Zvolanek, Jim:. . 9-14
Sterling, Leslie:... . 3-6 Unberger, Dan:... . 2~6 Whitney, George C.: , .8-2
Stice, Dennis:.. . .. 7-6 Van Bolhuis, Paul "Van": 5-23 Wichets, Jack: 8-3
Stiviaon. Doug: .4-1 Van Ness, H. L.: .... , 5-21 Wightman, Brice: 8-2
Stonitsch, John: 5-13 Vandevender, Robert L., 11:.9-12 Williams, Dallas:... . .9-10
Sutherland, Wayne M.: 7-11 Viele, James:. . . 7-1 Wollweber, Joachim: 9-5
170
AA1K: 1-25 KA3L1M: 9-3 N7BBC: 5-19, 7-14 W4ZBD: 5-23
AA4IX:. . 3-4 KA3RRF: 5-16 N7ENI: 7-31
AB4DP: 1-7 W4ZYZ: 3-4
KA4KOE 1-20 N7FXY: 7-31 W5LAN: 3-5
AB61: 9-2 KA4LAU: 9-16 N7IMR: .. . 1-21 W5RIN: 5-21
AE8L: 9-15 KA6LWC: 3-6 N7KM: 7-23 W5TKP: 5-13
AF6S: 5-19 KA6UXR: 5-12, 7-14 N7NG: 5-23 W5VIJ: 8-2
AG4R: 10-2 KA7ANM: 3-5 N8ADA: 7-5 W6BDN:5-17, 5-21,6-7, 7-13
AG6K:l-10, 1-11, 6-3, 7-9 KA8GOB: 8-3 N8FCO: 1-12 W6DTV: 7-31
1'.J0J: 5-14 KA800F: 3-1 N8IRL: 7-1 W6ERS: 1-13
AK7M, see "WJ1Z" KA9CCZ: 9-16 N9ADJ: 5-15 W6FGD: 1-13
KA9LYR: 7-21 N9AEG: 7-7 W6HDO: 7-7
DF5PY: 9-5 KA9NBH: 1-5 N9AZ: 9-19 W6IKH: 10-6
DL4FBI: 5-3 KB0HH: 10-5 N9BNH:. . 5-6 W6JIC: 10-3, 10-4
KB1US: 9-3 N9COX: 7-14 W6KFV: 5-22
G5UPNE7BBD (SK):. 2-2 KB2ARU: 1-7 N9GTO:. . .9-5 W6KIW: 7-31
KB2GZS: 7-6 NB3T: 6-4, 9-8 W6NBI: 7-24
JGl UNE:.. . 7-20 KB2TN: 5-11 NE21: 3-5 W6NBM: 5-11
KB3WZ: 2-2 NE91: 7-16 W60B: .. 10-4
K0AS: 5-19 KB5VC: . . . .. . . .7-28 NF7E: 7-19 W60WP: . . . . . .. .. 9-14
K0BF: 1-13 KB6FNP: 7-17 NG5B:.... .. .. 6-3 W6PGL:·..... . .. 5-4
K0CGB: 7-6 KB6NN: 3-6 NI2F:..... .. .. 1-5 W6PWQ:. . . . . . .7-14
K0CO:.. . .. 8-2 KB8FAY: 1-5 NI6H:..... . .. 5-23 W6PWQ/7: . . . . . 5-15
K0DKB:.. . . . .5-18 KC1HR: 5-6 NJ2L: . . . . . .. 10-4 W6SX:. . .1-1
K0IHG: 9-11 KC1KM: 2-7 NK6E: 1-4 W6YAR: 10-5
K0KK: . .. .. . 8-1 KC2MK: 1-17 NM4H: 1-22 W7CQB: 7-27
K0KL: 7-19 KC3GO: 9-7 N070:. .. 7-11 W7CSD: 2-1
K1KI: ',' 4-1 KC9RG:. . . .. 1-35 NR1A: 4-1 W7EL: 5-14
K1RH: 7-3 KD0SV: 7-15 NS6H: 1-15 W7LBD: 9-4
K2BPP: 10-5 KD0UE: 7-31 NT0W: 1-9 W7MPW: 5-21
K20EK: 8-2 KD2FU: 5-12 NT4B: 4-2, 5-23, 7-26 W7PMD: 10-3
K20V:.. . .. 7-13 KD3A: 7-14 NV51: 7-26 W7SX: 7-23
K20Z: 5-14, 7-21 KD3BU: 1-26 NY70: 1-1 W7XC: .. 1-19, 1-27, 10-5
K2RRR: 3-6 KD3ED: 1-23 NZ2F: 1-20 W7YF: 8-3
K2SDD: 10-9 KD30R: 5-18 NZ9E:. . 1-21, 7-5 W7Z01: 5-8
K3FGB: 9-5 KD4YD: 5-18 W8DTD: 7-5
K3FN: 10-6 KD6DT: 7-6 VE2UG: 7-7 W8FRB: 5-11
K3KMO: .. ..9-4 KD7WS: .. .. . 5-11 VE3CUI: . .7-8, 9-12, 10-6 W8GDQ: 2-5
K3S00:.... .5-12 KD9SV:. . 10-7 VE3DIT: .. " 1-29 W8TYX: 10-8
K3YSL: 5-16 KE40R: 5-11 VE3EDR: 8-2 W8VWX: 6-7, 9-12
K4ADJ: 8-1 KE5NU: 3-3 VE3HCD: 2-3 W8WOJ: 9-3
K4BNC: 9-8 KE6VL: . . .. 9-12 VE30X: 1-7. 9-18 W8ZCO: 2-6
K4EBF: 5-16 KF6GL: · 2-1 VE4TZ: 1-29 W9AG: 9-14
K4GXY: 5-3 KF7R: . . . . . 6-1 VE8BOD: 5-4 W9BRD: 9-11
K4HCD: 9-18 KG2M:. .5-15 VE6EI: 5-5, 6-2 W9BTI: 5-4
K4IQJ: 1·8, 1-9 KG6KL: 7-15 VE7FJE: . . . 9-12 W9CRC: 9-15
K4JHM: 5-19 KG60Y:.. ...7-1 VE7XN: 7-29 W9DBM: 9-4
K4JVT: 9·16,9-17 KH6CPI1:.4-4, 5-7, 5-10, W9HBW:. . . 5-15
K4KYV: 5-7 5-11,5-14, 7-6 VOHV: 3-3 W9IWI: 5-12
K4XU: ' . . 1-2, 1-26 KI3U: 5-22, 6-6 W9KNI: 7-8
K5LZT: 9-13 KK2W: 1-22 W0DLO: 5-11 W90BG: 5-1
K6AAW: 1-16 KK4TN: 5-21 W0HKF: 5-2 W90ES: 7-29
K6EHZ (SK): 7-26 KM4IM: . . . . . 5-17 W0JHS: 5-21 W9PVD: 9-5
K6JEY: 5-4 KN2M:.. . 6-6 W0LYM: 10-9 W9VYW: 7-24
K6KH: 8-3 KN5S:. . 5-5 W0NY: 7-17 W9WUR: 5-16
K6LMN: 7-6 K03D: 10-1 W0RW:. . 1-21 W9ZMV: 9-17
K6MUP: .7·31 K03E: 7-2 W0SVM: 5-20 WA0ASV: . . . 6-4
K6PJE: 1-5 KR00: 1-22 W0ZH: 1-29 WA0HHB: . . 1-29
K6TAR: 6-3 KR2K: 9-12 W1FB: 3-2 WA0KKC: 7-5
K6TS: 1-26 KU7G: 2-2, 7-1, 7-9 Wl HHF: 5-20 WA0MRG: 9-10
K6UZK: 7-18 KU70: 9-19 W1JA: 1-16 WA0NSY: 5-19
K6WS: 1-16 KW4M: 1-14 W1JRS: 3-2 WA1PDY: 5-18
K6WX: 7-5 KX5F: 5-20 W1KK: 7-1, 9-13 WA1PWZ: 1-29
K6XK: 7-24 KZ70: 10-5 W1PN:. .. 7-9 WA1VGB: 5-7
K7FM: 5-20 KZ9Y: 6-6 W1RAN: .. " 7-17 WAZHNQ: 5-17
K7GL: 3-6 W1WEF: 3-3 WAZTMD: 9-3
K70WJ: 5-4 N0DYZ: 10-3 W1WF: 5-11 WA3ZIA: 5-21
K7WPC: 5-15 N0RK: 1-21 W2CJN: 2-3, 5-3 WA4DFS: 5-18
K8AXH/6: 5-23 N1ACH:. . . .. 7-29 W2FW:..... . ... 5-23 WA4NFK: 9-18
KaJLK: 5-17 N1BNG: 1-15 W2JI'.J: 9-3, 9-4 WA40FS: 5-23
KaJRK: 4-2 N1FB: 9-11 W2KTF: 6-6, 9-7 WA5WZD: 1-13
K8MJZ:...... .9-7 N3AZE:...... .2-3 W2KXG: . 5-13 WA6LOD: 9-16
K8SS: ......... 1-7, 1-9 N3CDR: 1-33 W2POG: 1-23 WASOLA: 9-11
K9ARZ: . .. . .. . 5-19 N3DEO:.. . 3-3 W2SDB: 9-11 WA8LLY: 10-1
K9KPM: 7-4 N3EA:. .. 10-7 W2SE: 1-7 WA8LOW: 3-3
K9POX: 1-21, 7-4 N3EZD:. . .5-3, 10-7 W2TYO: 2-1 WA8MCQ: 9-8
K9ZXB: 1-25 N3FIW: 2-1 W2UN: 5-16 WA8TXT: 1-2
KA0CAG: ' 6-3 N4LBJ: 7-29, 8-2 W2UW: 5-13 WA8YCG: 7-18
KA0RKR: 7-15 N4LZL: .. .. . 7-15 W2XM: 7-14, 7-25 WA8ZVT: 4-3
KA1BSZ: 9-7 N5ARU:. . .. .7-28, 10-9 W3KET: 5-1 WA9EZY: 1-20
KA1FJR: 5-11 N5ARY: . . . . . . . .. .7-28 W3SHP: 5-11,5-11 WA9MRU: 7-15
KA1L1K: 2-7 N50NI: 1-12 W4LGD: 7-5 WA9VPU: 5-20
KA1PL: 1-23 N5US: 1-2 W4LHH: 5-1,6-5 WB0IJE: 7-29
KA1RRW: 1-14 N6BZA:5-17, 5-21, 6-7, 7-13 W4NFJ: '.9-5 WB2IPF: 10-4
KA2F: . . . . . 7·10 N6KR: , 1-36 W4NTD: 2-1 WB2LCP: .. 6-1
KA3CTP: 10-3 N60NS:.. ..1-6 W4PSJ:. .. 7-6 WB20SZ: . . 6-1
KA3DRD: 2-3 N6RJ: . . . . . . . . 10-1 W4RHZ: 5-1,9-12 WB3AGC: 1-19
KA3GCQ: 1-4 N6SI: 1-5 W4WU: 7-4 WB3DDM: 7-8
WB3HAE: .... 2·3 WB7DWE: . . . .5-20 WDOO: 9-1 WJ1Z:1-32, 1-36, 5·3, 5·10,
WB5CCF: . ..... 9·1 WB8EBS: . . . .. 7-1 WD4AFY: 1·20 5-20, 6·2, 9-9, 10·3
WB5CFF: .. 7·27 W88JKR: 10·2 WD8L: 9·7 WL78LV:. . ..... 7·5
WB5GDB: .. .... 7-6 W88VDC: .7-16 WD8KBW: . . . .. . 6-6 WQSM: . .1-12
WB6AAM: . . ... 7-29 W890TX: 5-11 WE4J: 7·30 WV8R:.... . .. . 9-7
WB6HBS: .. ..... 3-2 WB9RQR:. . 7·11 WF4N: 1-30, 7·15 WY7F:.... ..5-2
WB6LLO: . ... 7·18 WC2S:.... . .. 2-1
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