I chose the Endfed Sloper configuration for my QRPme Dummy Load Construction Set. 72, Dave - KU9L

On Sun, Jan 1, 2023 at 10:13 PM, Rex Harper

<w1rex@...> wrote:

Dave,

Spent some time unstacking boxes and found what I was looking for!

Got plenty of polyvaricons...as I spent an entire social security check buying many flavors of caps!

Of course, the Super Tuna ][ has band module capability and the basic version comes with 40m parts. An 80/30/20 pack is also available so you can change bands in a only a few seconds! Sudden Storm kits are canned and on the shelf as are a slightly different Soup Up kit. Old pots were retired but I found some new ones.

I also have a brand new 12V soldering iron of the variety I mentioned before. I have lots of irons in for use/sales at my Buildathons so I can part with it as a gift to you. Its nice to see your call sign back in TunaLand!

Rex

On 1/1/2023 9:09 PM, David Knapp via groups.io wrote:

Rex,

I watched your video, in fact, I did again early this morning to delay some other work I needed to help my father-in-law with. I was Class 3 Space Shuttle solder certified back in the 80s and post cataract surgery a few years back I can see better than when I was 40, lol. I ordered the butane iron, but I didn't have an XT-60 female connector and AMZ said the 12v iron was to be delayed until Feb 14 although the price was right. I saved it for later & ordered the female to the banana adapter, my POTA power box is a group 24 battery box with Power Pole connectors and a couple of banana jacks with 12 AH of LIFEPO4 batteries I installed. So the battery that will power my Tuna cans could also help build them & have a solar panel to extend the time even further.

If you find the capacitors let us know, I would build a 20M & 40M Super Tuna 2 & would even consider doing a 30M version if I could get help finding the toroid coil/cap value, etc.

If you have a Sudden Storm Kit or Rexwood 1000W RX kit in stock with the Soupup kit instead let me know. I still think doing a POTA activation with a complete TT2 station would be cool, I think one of the QRP sites out there has a 200Hz audio filter kit floating around. The beauty of some of these designs is they don't have to be perfect like a brand new rig out of Japan, they just have to be fun. Your other kits are fun too. I built several kits from K1SWL back in the 90s when I never got over Heath going out of business.

Dave - KU9L

On Sunday, January 1, 2023 at 07:49:21 PM EST, Rex Harper <tunacankits@...> wrote:

On 1/1/2023 4:23 PM, David Knapp via groups.io wrote:

Have fun David & get out of IL down to where you feel like a tourist, but playing radios sure is fun and Thomas K4SWL gives tons of code practice on his YT channel just doing SOTA & POTA.

Does Rex W1REX keep Tuna kits in stock ready to go or are they kitted one at a time when ordered?

Rex, Do you sell any Tuna Super PaLooza's or 40m Tuna PaLooza kit's these days or do you concentrate on the current projects?

72, Dave - KU9L

Dave,

Most of my sales are for my home brew Manhattan bboards. I shot myself in the foot by making them a little smaller and a lot cheaper so my my sales income is down almost 50%! I try to keep tuna can kits stocked on my inventory shelf.... and sell a few here and there. Most of us 'old-timer' QRPers have already built them and moved on (not me!). I sell some to newbies and others who have lost their tuna 'stash' in some sort of cataclysmic event like an un-informed cleanout! That is why I don't let my wife anywhere near my QRPstuff. To her, a cord is a cord, and she hates anything electronical especially cords! I just checked and the only thing I'm missing are Super Tuna ][s due to no tuning caps. I have some laying about but just can't find them. The Supers are kitted but lacking the cap. Looks like I'd better put out a BOLO for them.

You should check out my Tool Talk on my YouTube channel.... I really loved my Radio Shack Butane soldering iron and the EXACT same irons are still available from ISO. Just don't fly with one...as TSA will confiscate all butane irons that look like they have been used...in you carry on or checked bags. I know because they have 3 of mine! I also use 12V irons when portable (or flying!) especially at shows where I can't afford an electrical connection in my booth. I use a 35Ahr AGM motorized wheel chair battery I bought at a hamfest for $20 as a power source and can solder all weekend on that! I've added links to those irons. While I don't use THAT specific 12V iron, I've used others very close to it. It does have the interchangeable tips and I've found those style 12V irons to work reasonably well for kits but they struggle a little on big ground plane connections. They advertise 40-50-60 watts (sorta like those 300W stereos) but I measured many on a kilawatt device and they struggle to reach 30W. The butanes can run HOT!

Rex? W1REX

Dave,

?

Attached is what I have for the ST][.? I would suggest using the 10m band values I did for the Rock-Mite P&E Mods.? The design is more up-to-date Cauer/elliptical filter.

?

Also attached...

?

Chuck, ??

Point, Texas? 75472

?

--
Chuck, W5USJ

On Sun, Jan 1, 2023 at 10:56 PM, David Knapp via groups.io

<renewables@...> wrote:

It was an unfortunate propagation delay, LOL Dave - KU9L

On Sunday, January 1, 2023 at 10:28:51 PM EST, Rex Harper <tunacankits@...> wrote:

Dave,

Just caught that address tag line.... Too bad you didn't pull the
trigger on some kits about 3 days ago. My wife just drove to Lakeland on
Wednesday, arrived Saturday and left on Sunday. She is heading back now
and somewhere in North Carolina now..You could have had very special
delivery!

>
> Dave - KU9L/P
> Winter Haven, FL until 3/31/23

Dave - KU9L/P
Winter Haven, FL until 3/31/23

Rex,

I watched your video, in fact, I did again early this morning to delay some other work I needed to help my father-in-law with. I was Class 3 Space Shuttle solder certified back in the 80s and post cataract surgery a few years back I can see better than when I was 40, lol. I ordered the butane iron, but I didn't have an XT-60 female connector and AMZ said the 12v iron was to be delayed until Feb 14 although the price was right. I saved it for later & ordered the female to the banana adapter, my POTA power box is a group 24 battery box with Power Pole connectors and a couple of banana jacks with 12 AH of LIFEPO4 batteries I installed. So the battery that will power my Tuna cans could also help build them & have a solar panel to extend the time even further.

If you find the capacitors let us know, I would build a 20M & 40M Super Tuna 2 & would even consider doing a 30M version if I could get help finding the toroid coil/cap value, etc.

If you have a Sudden Storm Kit or Rexwood 1000W RX kit in stock with the Soupup kit instead let me know. I still think doing a POTA activation with a complete TT2 station would be cool, I think one of the QRP sites out there has a 200Hz audio filter kit floating around. The beauty of some of these designs is they don't have to be perfect like a brand new rig out of Japan, they just have to be fun. Your other kits are fun too. I built several kits from K1SWL back in the 90s when I never got over Heath going out of business.

Dave - KU9L

On Sunday, January 1, 2023 at 07:49:21 PM EST, Rex Harper <tunacankits@...> wrote:

On 1/1/2023 4:23 PM, David Knapp via groups.io wrote:

Have fun David & get out of IL down to where you feel like a tourist, but playing radios sure is fun and Thomas K4SWL gives tons of code practice on his YT channel just doing SOTA & POTA.

Does Rex W1REX keep Tuna kits in stock ready to go or are they kitted one at a time when ordered?

Rex, Do you sell any Tuna Super PaLooza's or 40m Tuna PaLooza kit's these days or do you concentrate on the current projects?

72, Dave - KU9L

Dave,

Most of my sales are for my home brew Manhattan bboards. I shot myself in the foot by making them a little smaller and a lot cheaper so my my sales income is down almost 50%! I try to keep tuna can kits stocked on my inventory shelf.... and sell a few here and there. Most of us 'old-timer' QRPers have already built them and moved on (not me!). I sell some to newbies and others who have lost their tuna 'stash' in some sort of cataclysmic event like an un-informed cleanout! That is why I don't let my wife anywhere near my QRPstuff. To her, a cord is a cord, and she hates anything electronical especially cords! I just checked and the only thing I'm missing are Super Tuna ][s due to no tuning caps. I have some laying about but just can't find them. The Supers are kitted but lacking the cap. Looks like I'd better put out a BOLO for them.

You should check out my Tool Talk on my YouTube channel.... I really loved my Radio Shack Butane soldering iron and the EXACT same irons are still available from ISO. Just don't fly with one...as TSA will confiscate all butane irons that look like they have been used...in you carry on or checked bags. I know because they have 3 of mine! I also use 12V irons when portable (or flying!) especially at shows where I can't afford an electrical connection in my booth. I use a 35Ahr AGM motorized wheel chair battery I bought at a hamfest for $20 as a power source and can solder all weekend on that! I've added links to those irons. While I don't use THAT specific 12V iron, I've used others very close to it. It does have the interchangeable tips and I've found those style 12V irons to work reasonably well for kits but they struggle a little on big ground plane connections. They advertise 40-50-60 watts (sorta like those 300W stereos) but I measured many on a kilawatt device and they struggle to reach 30W. The butanes can run HOT!

Rex? W1REX

On Thu, Dec 29, 2022 at 6:49 AM, David Wilcox K8WPE via groups.io

<Djwilcox01@...> wrote:

Oh Dave, Thank God your daughter is now in the clear….. ha! ?

We are in Illinois spoiling granddaughters but Saturday we head for St. Augustine for three months…. And in the hidden (my) space below the rear floor of our 2018 Traverse is a TR-35 and a new TR-45L. ? Even though I have a full Elecraft line at home (have you seen what the latest KX1 went for a few days ago??? …. I need to put mine in a safe….) the Penntek TR series are now my favorite radios bar none. ?I was gifted the TR-35 from a friend who is losing interest in ham radio due to health issues and was blown away with the simplicity and the beautiful audio in it… it compares with my KX2 and even my tricked out K3s (at least to my old ears, real experts, might disagree) for a CW receiver. The TR-45L is just FUN! ?So I will spend my winter brushing up on my CW and just having fun. ?And walking the beach and attending thrift shops with my XYL of 50 years….?

Will be fun and interesting to see what Rex has in mind for the FDIM Buildathon in May. I have attended many of them and I am sure he has something great for us. ?

Dave K8WPE since 1960

David J. Wilcox’s iPad

On Dec 28, 2022, at 11:19 AM, David Knapp via groups.io <renewables@...> wrote:

?My daughter-in-law has been vindicated. She liquidated a box my wife (KB9YYI) gave her, but it was not the box labeled Ham Stuff! Unfortunately that box & I are 1300 snowy miles apart as it also has my complete variable temp soldering station in it, etc.

I was unable to find a decent affordable used communications RX so I ordered a WA3MC TR-35 4 band CW txcvr kit. That radio has no mute jack, but it also has no internal speaker. I intend to use the headphone jack in conjunction with the Tuna Helper to open up the pass through audio while transmitting on my TT2 TX, so I will have to check if I have to wire it differently than normal, I will see. I just have to get my ham stuff box in April in Chicago before we head to Colorado for the summer.

I'll go peek at the Tuna Helper schematic. My end goal is to do a POTA activation with the TT2 eventually. What thrills the old CW Ham usually escapes the XYL even if she is a ham, lol.

73,

Dave - KU9L/P

Winter Haven, FL until 3/31/23

On Mon, Dec 26, 2022 at 5:50 PM, David Knapp

<renewables@...> wrote:

When your daughter-in-law accidentally sells your QRPme kits on FB Marketplace, you.might be depressed, lol.

I enjoy building the kits, although I am slow as can't take much with me in a 23' RV to FL.?

I was hoping to buy a used communications RX, but eBay prices are out of sight now.

?A Super Tin Tuna 2 does great as a novelty for a POTA activation, but I need a real RX with lots of selectivity & a real mute function to have an enjoyable experience. The Chinese SDR RX (ATS-25) got a bad rap for anything other than casual SWL stuff. Maybe at HamCation I will find something.

I am going to start re-replicating my TT2 stuff at least, can't just run down to RadioShack anymore, but at least I have a stout picnic table on my RV patio.

Cheers es 72, Dave - KU9L

On Dec 28, 2022, at 11:19 AM, David Knapp via groups.io <renewables@...> wrote:

?My daughter-in-law has been vindicated. She liquidated a box my wife (KB9YYI) gave her, but it was not the box labeled Ham Stuff! Unfortunately that box & I are 1300 snowy miles apart as it also has my complete variable temp soldering station in it, etc.

I was unable to find a decent affordable used communications RX so I ordered a WA3MC TR-35 4 band CW txcvr kit. That radio has no mute jack, but it also has no internal speaker. I intend to use the headphone jack in conjunction with the Tuna Helper to open up the pass through audio while transmitting on my TT2 TX, so I will have to check if I have to wire it differently than normal, I will see. I just have to get my ham stuff box in April in Chicago before we head to Colorado for the summer.

I'll go peek at the Tuna Helper schematic. My end goal is to do a POTA activation with the TT2 eventually. What thrills the old CW Ham usually escapes the XYL even if she is a ham, lol.

73,

Dave - KU9L/P

Winter Haven, FL until 3/31/23

On Mon, Dec 26, 2022 at 5:50 PM, David Knapp

<renewables@...> wrote:

When your daughter-in-law accidentally sells your QRPme kits on FB Marketplace, you.might be depressed, lol.

I enjoy building the kits, although I am slow as can't take much with me in a 23' RV to FL.?

I was hoping to buy a used communications RX, but eBay prices are out of sight now.

?A Super Tin Tuna 2 does great as a novelty for a POTA activation, but I need a real RX with lots of selectivity & a real mute function to have an enjoyable experience. The Chinese SDR RX (ATS-25) got a bad rap for anything other than casual SWL stuff. Maybe at HamCation I will find something.

I am going to start re-replicating my TT2 stuff at least, can't just run down to RadioShack anymore, but at least I have a stout picnic table on my RV patio.

Cheers es 72, Dave - KU9L

On Mon, Dec 26, 2022 at 5:50 PM, David Knapp

<renewables@...> wrote:

When your daughter-in-law accidentally sells your QRPme kits on FB Marketplace, you.might be depressed, lol.

I enjoy building the kits, although I am slow as can't take much with me in a 23' RV to FL.?

I was hoping to buy a used communications RX, but eBay prices are out of sight now.

?A Super Tin Tuna 2 does great as a novelty for a POTA activation, but I need a real RX with lots of selectivity & a real mute function to have an enjoyable experience. The Chinese SDR RX (ATS-25) got a bad rap for anything other than casual SWL stuff. Maybe at HamCation I will find something.

I am going to start re-replicating my TT2 stuff at least, can't just run down to RadioShack anymore, but at least I have a stout picnic table on my RV patio.

Cheers es 72, Dave - KU9L

On Dec 27, 2022, at 09:36, rlynngirou via groups.io <rlynngirou@...> wrote:

?I have some TTll that I am selling since I am now deaf in one ear and can't hear nothing in the other ear. I miss doing CW but I want these to be in a good home. You can contact me at rlgirou@... if interested.