Re: The end of inexpensive printed circuit boards and parts
I ordered a Made in USA backpack on eBay and had to clear customs
It was used
25% tarrif applied by Canada to US products coming in. China is 10% tarrif .
Canada is friendly to CCP for so many reasons
So I guess I should what DX eng is doing but if new radios land from Japan there will be stiff tarrifs to deal with
This will result in hams making radios from old tv sets like they did in communist countries during the cold war
Aluminum jpoles? Tarrif
Canadians love paying 13% retail tax already and a total 44% income tax rate
So if half goes to food and a roof over you that Icom x7760 becomes a financed? credit card buy. Even a 7300 on monthly terms as discretionary spending is weak right now
Honey, did have to buy a KH1? Did you not see the exchange rate is 50% due to over printing money?
So 1300 usd is now 1950 cad?
Add 25% tarrif then add 13% HST
Wow, please give me a US call sign and a home in sunny florida please
Honey, did you sell my car to buy another QRP radio?
I am sorry Honey
John VE3IPS Pronoun: QRP+
Instagram @ve3ips_portable_operator
YouTube?@VE3IPS
BuddiHex FD Set Up
The Excellent Chelegance MC-750
Work DX with the Perfect Antenna that fits in your Vest Pocket. Voila the Gabil GRA-7350TC
Ham Radio is a life$$$tyle not a Hobby!
Take the radio outside and operate from the Field
Throw a wire in a tree and make a QSO
Tinfoil has many uses beyond the BBQ
|
Re: Trimmer Capacitor Kits on Amazon.com
Ditto. Tayda = almost always fine business parts for much less.
Regards,
Kirk, NT0Z
My book, "Stealth Amateur Radio," is now available from
www.stealthamateur.com and on the Amazon Kindle (soon)
On Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 06:45:23 AM CDT, Jim Kortge, K8IQY via groups.io <jim.k8iqy@...> wrote:
Chuck,
I buy my trimmer caps from Tayda Electronics.? They just restocked
most values.
72/73
Jim, K8IQY
PS...I'm around today to try a qso on 17 meters.? Pick a time and
I'll be there.? Something near gray line might be the best.
On 4/6/2025 2:33 AM, chuck adams via
groups.io wrote:
Choices
are Honbay or Acxico.? Any preference or experiences with
either or both?
|
Re: Trimmer Capacitor Kits on Amazon.com
Chuck,
I buy my trimmer caps from Tayda Electronics.? They just restocked
most values.
72/73
Jim, K8IQY
PS...I'm around today to try a qso on 17 meters.? Pick a time and
I'll be there.? Something near gray line might be the best.
On 4/6/2025 2:33 AM, chuck adams via
groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Choices
are Honbay or Acxico.? Any preference or experiences with
either or both?
|
Re: Encyclopedia of Electronics Vols 1-6
No, it's my link ended up with some stray characters in it.
?
--
Terry VK5TM
|
Trimmer Capacitor Kits on Amazon.com
Choices are Honbay or Acxico.? Any preference or experiences with
either or both?
--
chuck adams, aa7fo
WAS-17 QRP --> TX,FL,SC,GA,OK,AR,KS,AL,AZ
|
Re: Encyclopedia of Electronics Vols 1-6
Looks like both worldradiohistory and archive have removed the
download option from all but the one volume.
Jim Pruitt
WA7DUY
On 4/4/2025 10:01 PM, Terry VK5TM via
groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Vanished!
?
Get it here
?
Terry VK5TM
|
Re: Help aligning VFO (Ozark Patrol regen)
Yes, that's what mine does, as I wrote (not swapped).
Steve
On 4/5/2025 6:17 PM, Ross Tucker (NS7F)
via groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Are you sure the 5.24 and 5.46 aren't swapped? I
calculated that the minimum capacitance of the circuit is -78
pF...
On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at 11:30
Steve Ratzlaff via <ratzlaffsteve= [email protected]>
wrote:
Hi
Ross,
On mine, the Low band tunes 3.90-5.24 MHz; High band tunes
5.46-- ~19
MHz, as you note at least the High band is very wide tuning.
Your scheme
would probably work but I predict it will take a lot of
experimentation
to achieve it. Good luck and please let us know how it all
turns out.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 8:10 AM, Ross Tucker (NS7F) via wrote:
> I am building an Ozark Patrol regen. The stock tuning
range is very large and I would like to limit it. By
default, there is a SPDT switch that adds a parallel
capacitance for a second range. My goal is to align the two
ranges with the 20 and 40 m bands.
>
> Math shows that I need two fixed capacitors (one in
series with the tuning, one in parallel with that) for each
band. My thought is to replace the SPDT with a DPDT. I would
build the circuit for 20 m and the switch poles would select
in the appropriate differences to each fixed capacitor.
>
> Does this seem reasonable? Is this how it's done?
>
>
>
>
>
|
Re: Help aligning VFO (Ozark Patrol regen)
Are you sure the 5.24 and 5.46 aren't swapped? I calculated that the minimum capacitance of the circuit is -78 pF...
On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at 11:30 Steve Ratzlaff via <ratzlaffsteve= [email protected]> wrote: Hi Ross,
On mine, the Low band tunes 3.90-5.24 MHz; High band tunes 5.46-- ~19
MHz, as you note at least the High band is very wide tuning. Your scheme
would probably work but I predict it will take a lot of experimentation
to achieve it. Good luck and please let us know how it all turns out.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 8:10 AM, Ross Tucker (NS7F) via wrote:
> I am building an Ozark Patrol regen. The stock tuning range is very large and I would like to limit it. By default, there is a SPDT switch that adds a parallel capacitance for a second range. My goal is to align the two ranges with the 20 and 40 m bands.
>
> Math shows that I need two fixed capacitors (one in series with the tuning, one in parallel with that) for each band. My thought is to replace the SPDT with a DPDT. I would build the circuit for 20 m and the switch poles would select in the appropriate differences to each fixed capacitor.
>
> Does this seem reasonable? Is this how it's done?
>
>
>
>
>
|
Re: Adding to the KN5L ft test fixture.
???? (And I misspelled his
name, it's Wenzel.)?? You need an RF source such as the popular
function generators/AWGs, some go past 30 MHz. His tester takes
the basic frequency found in the test and multiplies it by 20 to
derive the Ft. So a max test freq of 30 MHz x 20 = 600 MHz Ft
possible.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 5:23 PM, vbifyz via
groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Ok, I give up. It is easy to do a relative measurement of Ft,
i.e. compare 2 transistors. But I can not yet achieve the
absolute accuracy using my setup.
First, the diode detector is non-linear at low amplitudes
(<1V). This can be solved by calibration, but then it becomes
a serious project, not for one weekend.
Then, the digital signals I generate (currently using PWM
output of RP204 micro, it can easily go above 50MHz) have
harmonics. How do I account for those?
Still, some interesting data. For example, 2N3904 from
different sources have wildly different Ft. The best one is the
old Motorola part with a bluish flat side of its TO-92 case.
Newer known genuine parts are about 50% worse. Parts from
Aliexpress are 3-4 times worse (these also have high noise).
2SC5551 clearly have much higher Ft (duh).
2N2222 and 2N4401 are slow compared to good 2N3904.
?
Steve, what is the Wenzil tester?
?
73, Mike AF7KR
|
QSL I was merely addressing your earlier stated requirements.?
?
Obvious to reduce the upper range a smaller range variable cap is needed. Then as you or others describe, a band switch with different fixed capacitors. I suggest experimenting with these part changes off the board, until deciding on a modified design.?
?
My own OP is homebrew. As I recall only exotic parts are the audio transformer and the variable cap, if you wish to breadboard an OP for experiments. Dave told us the transistors can be any NPN (laughter this was after I raided a junk box in a lab of a company Dave once worked for back east to match his NPNs).?
?
It's a worthwhile project. Just managing your expectations on its ham signal performance.?
?
Curt
?
|
Re: Adding to the KN5L ft test fixture.
Ok, I give up. It is easy to do a relative measurement of Ft, i.e. compare 2 transistors. But I can not yet achieve the absolute accuracy using my setup.
First, the diode detector is non-linear at low amplitudes (<1V). This can be solved by calibration, but then it becomes a serious project, not for one weekend.
Then, the digital signals I generate (currently using PWM output of RP204 micro, it can easily go above 50MHz) have harmonics. How do I account for those?
Still, some interesting data. For example, 2N3904 from different sources have wildly different Ft. The best one is the old Motorola part with a bluish flat side of its TO-92 case. Newer known genuine parts are about 50% worse. Parts from Aliexpress are 3-4 times worse (these also have high noise).
2SC5551 clearly have much higher Ft (duh).
2N2222 and 2N4401 are slow compared to good 2N3904.
?
Steve, what is the Wenzil tester?
?
73, Mike AF7KR
|
Re: Help aligning VFO (Ozark Patrol regen)
Fascinating! I guess build-and-measure really is the?way to go. I'll try watching the oscillator on our scope this week.
On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at 16:17 Steve Ratzlaff via <ratzlaffsteve= [email protected]> wrote:
I picked a random? T50-2 toroid out of the bag and wound 20 turns
#26 with about 3/16" spacing on the ends. On the DE-5000 at 100
kHz test it measures even higher than predicts--2.175
uH.????? :)
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 2:50 PM, Steve Ratzlaff
wrote:
Hi Ross,
My experience with all iron powder toroids is there are always
variations from toroid batch to batch, and actual? inductance
can vary quite a bit--one measures the final inductance and
adjusts turns and spacing to give the desired inductance.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 1:49 PM, Ross Tucker
(NS7F) via wrote:
Thanks for the feedback! Also, btw: the
schematic says L1 is 1.5 uH but 20 turns on a T50-2 is
supposed to be 1.96 uH. Any thoughts on that?
On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at
11:30 Steve Ratzlaff via <ratzlaffsteve= [email protected]>
wrote:
Hi
Ross,
On mine, the Low band tunes 3.90-5.24 MHz; High band tunes
5.46-- ~19
MHz, as you note at least the High band is very wide
tuning. Your scheme
would probably work but I predict it will take a lot of
experimentation
to achieve it. Good luck and please let us know how it all
turns out.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 8:10 AM, Ross Tucker (NS7F) via wrote:
> I am building an Ozark Patrol regen. The stock tuning
range is very large and I would like to limit it. By
default, there is a SPDT switch that adds a parallel
capacitance for a second range. My goal is to align the
two ranges with the 20 and 40 m bands.
>
> Math shows that I need two fixed capacitors (one in
series with the tuning, one in parallel with that) for
each band. My thought is to replace the SPDT with a DPDT.
I would build the circuit for 20 m and the switch poles
would select in the appropriate differences to each fixed
capacitor.
>
> Does this seem reasonable? Is this how it's done?
>
>
>
>
>
|
The OP has one particular advantage. My university bought three kits for student projects, so they are effectively free. My ham radio mentees are generally not able to spend $125 for a Bayou Jumper at this point. Also, I'm attempting to get them excited, first. Hopefully, they will then be inclined to save up for a more practical station.
Ross
?
Build and see what you get. My own experience with the OP is that it's an exceptional AM signal receiver. At least one builder has added medium wave broadcast band reception. I imagine the designer achieved what came with the affordable variable capacitor.?
?
If you really want to receive ham cw and ssb signals, there are better designs for this. Examples include the Bayou Jumper, WBR and kd1jv paraset. But exercise your OP to see if you concur. Meanwhile maybe you inspired me to revisit my own OP. I would be interested in anyone's comparison to more vintage transistor and tube shortwave regens. I was amazed at the OP quality in receiving AM signals and minimizing impact of fading.?
?
Curt
?
|
Ross
?
Build and see what you get. My own experience with the OP is that it's an exceptional AM signal receiver. At least one builder has added medium wave broadcast band reception. I imagine the designer achieved what came with the affordable variable capacitor.?
?
If you really want to receive ham cw and ssb signals, there are better designs for this. Examples include the Bayou Jumper, WBR and kd1jv paraset. But exercise your OP to see if you concur. Meanwhile maybe you inspired me to revisit my own OP. I would be interested in anyone's comparison to more vintage transistor and tube shortwave regens. I was amazed at the OP quality in receiving AM signals and minimizing impact of fading.?
?
Curt
?
|
Re: Help aligning VFO (Ozark Patrol regen)
I picked a random? T50-2 toroid out of the bag and wound 20 turns
#26 with about 3/16" spacing on the ends. On the DE-5000 at 100
kHz test it measures even higher than toroids.info predicts--2.175
uH.????? :)
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 2:50 PM, Steve Ratzlaff
wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi Ross,
My experience with all iron powder toroids is there are always
variations from toroid batch to batch, and actual? inductance
can vary quite a bit--one measures the final inductance and
adjusts turns and spacing to give the desired inductance.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 1:49 PM, Ross Tucker
(NS7F) via groups.io wrote:
Thanks for the feedback! Also, btw: the
schematic says L1 is 1.5 uH but 20 turns on a T50-2 is
supposed to be 1.96 uH. Any thoughts on that?
On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at
11:30 Steve Ratzlaff via <ratzlaffsteve= [email protected]>
wrote:
Hi
Ross,
On mine, the Low band tunes 3.90-5.24 MHz; High band tunes
5.46-- ~19
MHz, as you note at least the High band is very wide
tuning. Your scheme
would probably work but I predict it will take a lot of
experimentation
to achieve it. Good luck and please let us know how it all
turns out.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 8:10 AM, Ross Tucker (NS7F) via wrote:
> I am building an Ozark Patrol regen. The stock tuning
range is very large and I would like to limit it. By
default, there is a SPDT switch that adds a parallel
capacitance for a second range. My goal is to align the
two ranges with the 20 and 40 m bands.
>
> Math shows that I need two fixed capacitors (one in
series with the tuning, one in parallel with that) for
each band. My thought is to replace the SPDT with a DPDT.
I would build the circuit for 20 m and the switch poles
would select in the appropriate differences to each fixed
capacitor.
>
> Does this seem reasonable? Is this how it's done?
>
>
>
>
>
|
For a business, sure makes perfect sense. I agree. For us hobbyist, does not matter. Can't tell the difference between what I recently bought new or the stuff that is many decades old. You think my Hallicrafters S40-B I'm working on now will feel better with the very old stuff? Hi Hi. 73, Richard AG5M
On Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 01:55:52 PM PDT, Jon Edwards via groups.io <edwardsj455k@...> wrote:
I think it would be for liability reasons. A company that experiences a catastrophic disaster will endure investigations and inquires on their practices. Even if there's no evidence solder is degraded in quality after its shelf life date, most people would form an opinion with half the truth and the company's reputation would be forever tarnished. Business leaders would view that as an unacceptable outcome versus having to shitcan a few thousand dollars worth of solder. Jon AE7TE
Well... I have been licensed for 62 years now, and have lots of old rolls of 60/40 solder going back many decades. As far as I can tell none of it has gone bad, it all still works just fine. Just used some purchased 40+ years ago and working like new. I'd not worry about it. IMHO 73, Richard AG5M
On Friday, April 4, 2025 at 11:18:27 AM PDT, Albert Marsh via <hitekgearhead= [email protected]> wrote:
In the post earlier today about tariffs there was mentioned the pricing of solder. ? I have had good luck with picking up mostly full rolls of solder at garage sales or when the shop at work has to dispose of it because it "expires". I am sure many of you are familiar with similar industrial practices that adhere to strict shelf life requirements. ? I have used and or tested many of these rolls of solder, and they often work just fine. ? So the question is: Does it really expire, or more precisely, go bad? ? And yes, I am certainly familiar with the rosin vs acid core varieties and the leaded vs lead free. I do pay attention to that fact when picking up said items at garage sales. Sometimes I do want the acid core solder?because I use it in the garage for different things. ? -Albert KI4ORI
|
Re: Help aligning VFO (Ozark Patrol regen)
Hi Ross,
My experience with all iron powder toroids is there are always
variations from toroid batch to batch, and actual? inductance can
vary quite a bit--one measures the final inductance and adjusts
turns and spacing to give the desired inductance.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 1:49 PM, Ross Tucker (NS7F)
via groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Thanks for the feedback! Also, btw: the schematic
says L1 is 1.5 uH but 20 turns on a T50-2 is supposed to be 1.96
uH. Any thoughts on that?
On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at 11:30
Steve Ratzlaff via <ratzlaffsteve= [email protected]>
wrote:
Hi
Ross,
On mine, the Low band tunes 3.90-5.24 MHz; High band tunes
5.46-- ~19
MHz, as you note at least the High band is very wide tuning.
Your scheme
would probably work but I predict it will take a lot of
experimentation
to achieve it. Good luck and please let us know how it all
turns out.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 8:10 AM, Ross Tucker (NS7F) via wrote:
> I am building an Ozark Patrol regen. The stock tuning
range is very large and I would like to limit it. By
default, there is a SPDT switch that adds a parallel
capacitance for a second range. My goal is to align the two
ranges with the 20 and 40 m bands.
>
> Math shows that I need two fixed capacitors (one in
series with the tuning, one in parallel with that) for each
band. My thought is to replace the SPDT with a DPDT. I would
build the circuit for 20 m and the switch poles would select
in the appropriate differences to each fixed capacitor.
>
> Does this seem reasonable? Is this how it's done?
>
>
>
>
>
|
I think it would be for liability reasons. A company that experiences a catastrophic disaster will endure investigations and inquires on their practices.
Even if there's no evidence solder is degraded in quality after its shelf life date, most people would form an opinion with half the truth and the company's reputation would be forever tarnished. Business leaders would view that as an unacceptable outcome versus having to shitcan a few thousand dollars worth of solder.
Jon AE7TE
Well... I have been licensed for 62 years now, and have lots of old rolls of 60/40 solder going back many decades. As far as I can tell none of it has gone bad, it all still works just fine. Just used some purchased 40+ years ago and working like new. I'd not worry about it. IMHO 73, Richard AG5M
On Friday, April 4, 2025 at 11:18:27 AM PDT, Albert Marsh via <hitekgearhead= [email protected]> wrote:
In the post earlier today about tariffs there was mentioned the pricing of solder. ? I have had good luck with picking up mostly full rolls of solder at garage sales or when the shop at work has to dispose of it because it "expires". I am sure many of you are familiar with similar industrial practices that adhere to strict shelf life requirements. ? I have used and or tested many of these rolls of solder, and they often work just fine. ? So the question is: Does it really expire, or more precisely, go bad? ? And yes, I am certainly familiar with the rosin vs acid core varieties and the leaded vs lead free. I do pay attention to that fact when picking up said items at garage sales. Sometimes I do want the acid core solder?because I use it in the garage for different things. ? -Albert KI4ORI
|
Re: Help aligning VFO (Ozark Patrol regen)
Thanks for the feedback! Also, btw: the schematic says L1 is 1.5 uH but 20 turns on a T50-2 is supposed to be 1.96 uH. Any thoughts on that?
On Sat, Apr 5, 2025 at 11:30 Steve Ratzlaff via <ratzlaffsteve= [email protected]> wrote: Hi Ross,
On mine, the Low band tunes 3.90-5.24 MHz; High band tunes 5.46-- ~19
MHz, as you note at least the High band is very wide tuning. Your scheme
would probably work but I predict it will take a lot of experimentation
to achieve it. Good luck and please let us know how it all turns out.
73,
Steve AA7U
On 4/5/2025 8:10 AM, Ross Tucker (NS7F) via wrote:
> I am building an Ozark Patrol regen. The stock tuning range is very large and I would like to limit it. By default, there is a SPDT switch that adds a parallel capacitance for a second range. My goal is to align the two ranges with the 20 and 40 m bands.
>
> Math shows that I need two fixed capacitors (one in series with the tuning, one in parallel with that) for each band. My thought is to replace the SPDT with a DPDT. I would build the circuit for 20 m and the switch poles would select in the appropriate differences to each fixed capacitor.
>
> Does this seem reasonable? Is this how it's done?
>
>
>
>
>
|
Re: The end of inexpensive printed circuit boards and parts
For those who consider just about any conversation as "political" --
?
I wasn't giving any political views. I was keeping it politically neutral. Not that I have to ask anyone's permission, however.?
?
We are all concerned about this issue. If we can't discuss what's important to us, what's dear to our hearts, then what is the point of a discussion board?
To summarize what I said in my last post: something's gotta give. We QRP hams are not the only ones in trouble, if these tariffs continue. There is going to be BI PARTISAN PAIN and *both* political parties are going to be forced into action.
America is in no position to build up electronics component MFG from nothing, after having no such facilities for decades. The same goes for MANY other products. Americans are NOT prepared for decades of reduce/reuse/do-without and general pain. Not in 2025.
You might convince me to tough it out for the greater good -- but I know for a fact I'm outnumbered in present-day America.
THEREFORE, this whole economic tariffs "nuclear option" has got to be short lived in duration. I think if we can ride out this disturbance, we'll all be fine.
|
John
Kirk Kleinschmidt, NT0Z
Jim Kortge, K8IQY
Richard AG5M
Matthew McDevitt N3AZ