tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88758729172891419602024-03-05T04:18:16.239+00:00thehxfilesAn online record of experiments in ATV by Pat Fitzpatrick EI2HXPat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-60885445525763973112014-12-05T15:42:00.000+00:002014-12-05T15:42:27.774+00:00<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Hello and welcome to Xtract 031 of the HX Files.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In this issue of Echo Ireland I would like to talk about
some of the aerials used /portable (and at QTHR) and the means to fix them in
place when out /p.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In photo 1 above, you can see some aerials mounted on a small
portable mast that has been used many times, all the aerials on it are for
23cms (1.2ghz) the top one is a vertical and the others are various types of
beam aerials such as what would be classed as a regular type of beam, the
others are a loop Yagi, and a circular polarization type. In use there would be
some coaxial cable used to connect the transceiver to the aerial but on some
occasions the transceiver is screwed direct to the aerial and a remote lead
carrying the power, audio, video and TX/RX switching from the car to the mast
mounted transceiver. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Photo 2 above shows one of the stands used, it works on the
fact that you drive over the base of the stand and the weight of the car holds
it in place and it does not need any stays to hold it in place. This base unit
was the mk1 type; it was made when I had a 5 door sierra, and made as a fixed
item. It became awkward to transport in the boot model car I got next and the
base unit was left aside for a few years. The latest car is a hatchback and is
well able for it, but not long after using the base for a few times I got
someone to modify it, firstly he had to separate part of the base frame and
make it wider by inserting an extra
piece of box metal so some hinges could be wielded in place, also the rigid
support arm on its right side was cut away and its ends modified so that each
end was held in place to the base by a bolt and when one of them was removed
the unit could be folded flat for transporting and storage, the base can be
seen again in photo 3 below along with some of the mast bases that were bought / made over
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In photo 3 above you can
see the various ways the aerials are used /portable whether attached to the car
or being held upright by other stands. Some of the masts would take a couple of
people to erect safely, but others could be attached to the towing eyes or the
tow bar. You should take care when you are on your own working /portable, you
could end up with some damaged aerials, or car as the pole with the aerials
attached could be to long and will be top heavy for you to manage the assembling
of the aerials and mast, and their dismantling, the dismantling part can be the
most dangerous regardless of the weather, as fatigue could set in after a long
day and with possibly cold / wet hands you
could lose your grip and have to repair a boom and a few elements on an aerial
or two, and remember if you are on a height you do not need a skyscraper of a
mast, if you are on your own just bring something you can safely manage by
yourself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In photo 4 above you can
see some of the other aerials that did not make it onto the mast, these bow tie
aerials can be used individually or some of them could be placed into the panel
aerial case you see them resting on. (The panel aerial is for use between
195-197 MHZ.) When it comes to connecting your aerials to your transmitter other
than coaxial cable, the range of fittings can be bewildering as can be seen in
photo 5 below.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJX8XT9ADTm_geBu8xvrIt1IZZCl5RtaE9F-I7Xv2NaMYb15ulWmuHJBak1bnIFd0y5DoakUdkI-Nw_SkNP3CUiNATXYA0Eu8sF0IM8wKmzndX3YYsoTOTn4LKmqWKRPq8aDKpiLydGt4/s1600/Photo+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJX8XT9ADTm_geBu8xvrIt1IZZCl5RtaE9F-I7Xv2NaMYb15ulWmuHJBak1bnIFd0y5DoakUdkI-Nw_SkNP3CUiNATXYA0Eu8sF0IM8wKmzndX3YYsoTOTn4LKmqWKRPq8aDKpiLydGt4/s1600/Photo+6.JPG" height="532" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photo 6 above shows a dish and on the bottom right of it is an
aerial that looks like a can, and it could be used as is for some local use, or
it can be used as a launcher and lined up to feed a dish like the one it is
sitting on, but some framing, and exact measurements would have to be done to
attach the can to the dish at the right distance but that is a job for another
day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s it for this issue of Echo Ireland and indeed for
this year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I would like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a
Prosperous New Year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And that all your signals are P5.<o:p></o:p></div>
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73<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pat</span>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-16027632826852502682014-12-04T18:27:00.001+00:002014-12-04T18:27:36.924+00:00<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"> Hello and welcome to 030 of the HX files.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In this issue I would like to talk about some of the “few”
parts bought at the Friedrichshafen Rally in June.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In photo 1 bellow,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">you can see some of the leads and parts
purchased, in the picture you maybe able to make out a couple of small monitors,
various leads, fittings, and a couple of RF amplifiers. Not in the photograph are a couple of transmitters,
receivers, and a couple of aerials that were bought for some future projects.
Some of the leads and fittings will be used to replace the ones taken out of
other units not being used at the time, and the rest for stock. It may look
like a lot, but when you take in to account the parts and modules used in a project,
such as the transmitter, receiver, amplifier, preamp, relays, coaxial leads and
aerial to be used, and the fact they all have to be joined together, it is a
wonder any RF gets out at all, and you would be left wondering</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">where did all
the leads that were bought go to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ouch</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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On the subject of
fittings and RF, in photo 2 above, you can see some fittings, some of the connectors
go as high as 24ghz, they are not exactly falling out of my hand and this lot
had not a lot of change out of €120. As with any radio rally those of you who
have attended rallies over the years would get to know the various sellers
selling equipment and also other traders and buyers who have dealt with them.
The fact that some of them have been in the business of designing and
manufacturing for years, and take pride in showing their equipment is 100%, they
would have the spec sheets of their products for you to inspect, some even go
to the bother of bringing some test equipment to show the buyer the equipment
running before you buy, even more important some of the traders would let you
know the ones that whose claims of their equipment would not live up to what is
stated on the label.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Bargain?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Prices can vary
quite a bit as some items can have less of a demand in one country than another,
and as a result you could buy well from one trader and in the next row of
stalls see the same quality of gear from someone else a lot dearer/cheaper than
the last trader, so when you have bought your parts for a steal, stop looking
for them at other stalls to see how well you done as you will feel like you
were robbed if you see them cheaper. The cheaper parts may just be that, cheaper,
or be a cheap brand that may not be up to the spec you need and all that lovely
RF will go any where but to the aerial. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In photos 3 and 4 above, you can see a couple of the amplifiers bought at the rally, one is for 5.7GHz
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The worst part of this rally is not having my own car
with me, and seeing plenty that would fit nicely in the boot, not only the
various new pieces of equipment, but the “scrap parts”. One piece of equipment
bought was a repeater that could be modified for 10 GHz, these pieces of
equipment weighed a few kilos more than my total allowance on the aeroplane, I
would have loved to have brought a couple of the units home with me, not only
was the enclosure a nice size but was meant as a mast mounted unit and was
waterproofed and it only had the wave guide connector and a small multi plug for
the dc connections. Inside the unit, other than the TX/RX equipment, there
where some lovely fittings and brackets to be had, but as this item was
purchased on our last day at the rally we knew that the limits of our allowance
was getting close and something had to be left behind, as the extra charge
would have cost 5 times the amount paid for them, so knowing some of the
traders I got a loan of some tools and the parts wanted removed, and in these
recycling times, the metal container and other parts where given back to the
trader to sell to someone else, he was so happy to take them back he said that
we could have some of his other stock, as the container was a seller on its own
and it saved him the grief to disassemble it. As you know quality cost but I wished
it didn't cost that much, cheaper fittings and connectors could have being
bought but they would have being no good at the frequencies I wanted them for,
and as mentioned earlier the need to get as much of the RF out of the equipment
as possible and into the aerial, as one of the high power transmitters(or
should that be QRPP) bought can push out nearly 100mw and so some high end
connections (and a amplifier) will be used on this project that would be a
permanent outdoor unit, now where can I get a professional waterproof enclosure
to house everything and keep it dry and safe, (ah feck). <o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s it for this issue of Echo Ireland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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May your signals be P5.<o:p></o:p></div>
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73<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pat.<o:p></o:p></div>
Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-75070652706195328182014-12-04T18:05:00.001+00:002014-12-04T18:05:33.074+00:00The HX Files 029<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Hello and welcome to
Xtract 029 of the HX files.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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In this issue of the HX files I would like to take a
brake from the construction of a couple of items I have currently on the work
bench. A couple of parts are needed to complete both of them and I am hoping to
get those parts needed at the rally in Germany in June. Not wanting to remove
any parts from other projects (like I have done before) as these parts would mean
a total dismantling of the projects and this time that was not on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And now, time for something
completely different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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So in this issue
of Echo Ireland I would like to write about some of my eclectic mix of
“collectables”. Some of these items were bought because of their “rarity” and
some because they are just plain weird; I will leave it up to you to decide
which is which.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The first items are a couple of ceramic insulators from
(I am told) an aeroplane, these would be placed either end of the plane and the
aircraft wire aerial would pass through it. In photo 1 bellow,you can see that each
has a couple of aluminium rings that attach it to the craft from both sides of
the aircraft's skin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In photo 2 above, you can
see one of the radios in the collection, it is a Second World War radio called
a “wireless set number 17”, there were two versions manufactured, the one I
have is the MK2, the MK2’s operating frequency is from 44 MHz to 61 MHz. Some
info for you power hungry hams out there, it could produce around 300 watts, nah
only joking, actually its power output is more like +/- 250 MW, and with either
one of its complement of aerials a distance of some 10 plus miles could be
“guaranteed” and that was more than enough as you did not want the wrong people
ear wigging. Its main use was to communicate from the ground support units of
Barrage balloons and Anti-Aircraft locations to HQ, and it replaced signalling
lamps( that would be used in the daylight as well as the night, and you did not
want the enemy pilots seeing the beam of the lamp at night). As there was a war
on, and metal was used for other things, the radio’s cabinet was not made from
metal but from wood, the manufacture used as much wood as they could in its
construction, I wonder if they tried to make the valves from wood and found
that they wooden work. Some details for those of you with no grey hair, it was
a ready to go rig and was powered by two 60v dry batteries in series and a 2v 16 ah accumulator. The No 17 used two valves, one each of an AR6 and AR18 type valve.
It was mentioned in a radio conversion book that told you how to modify some of
the ex-military radios that were available to the radio amateurs, that you
should leave the “No 17” set alone, as it would cause interference to other
radios close by even when it was in the receive position. The weight of the
radio is around 10kg, and its measurements (in inches are), 14½ W,16 H, and 10
D, it was made on a budget and when the
bombs were dropping you did not want to be carrying a big radio as you would
used your hands to keep your hat and trousers on whilst running for shelter. As
mentioned earlier, before the “No 17 set” there was the signalling lamp like
the one in photo 3 below.</div>
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The case contains the lamp, which had a removable red
filter for daytime use, also in the case was a stand made from some small
lengths of tubing that would screw together and then be stuck into the ground.
Also in the other compartment of the case would be the battery, and a spares
kit including a spare bulb. No space was
wasted, as the Morse key is mounted on the inside of one lid and the
instructions for its care and use on the other, also the lamp itself has a
couple of features, one is at the bottom, it is a small screw that when
loosened the lamb could then be easily tilted and lined up to the senders target,
and on the lamps top is a sighting tube. Not a telescopic sight but simply a
tube with a round hole at the sender/receivers end and a plus (+) shaped hole
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you can see some microphones, the bottom left one is a WW2 era throat microphone,
it was used in noisy environments like airplanes, top left is also a microphone
and not a ray gun from Flash Gordon, top right is a head set from a Marconi
marine base radio I think it is was called a triple diversity transceiver, and
the microphone on the bottom right is from another Army radio.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And finally <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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That is it for this issue of Echo Ireland; in a forth
coming newsletter I must mention some of the other military radios and Morse
code keys and other bits and pieces in the collection. Perhaps you could send
in an article yourself about some of your own collections of the weird and
wonderful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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73.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-73691889122771333052014-02-08T15:16:00.000+00:002014-04-15T13:16:15.183+01:00<h2>
Hello and welcome to the HX Files 028, and to 2014.</h2>
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As there was no newsletter before Christmas, I hope you had a happy Christmas and have a happy and prosperous new year.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What to do next.</span><br />
Over Christmas, I was looking at some of the bits and bobs, (well its better than looking at Bobs bits) in the projects pending department (the sheds). The items that were bought over the last few rallies, and indeed some stuff that was given to me for parts, needed to be sorted out. Space was becoming a problem and finding the part or parts needed with nothing falling on me, and getting out alive was getting harder. Those of you with space can decide on whether to dismantle the donor item as some of the parts needed are often safer to store in their original housing rather than taken apart. With the parts removed a trip was made to the recycling center with the unwanted and unusable items, and with the hope I did NOT see anything I could use.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Protection</span><br />
The HX stores normally wait until a good coat of protection (dust) has appeared on a particular item that has been in the shed for a while, and that it will no longer be used for what the manufacture intended it to be, and then the parts removed. It was on this particular rummage that the monitor featured was unearthed; it is an old security monitor measuring around 15 inches cubed. This cube was bought at a rally years ago, and was used for a while and then retired. With the parts bin in mind, it was noticed that the housing of the monitor was made from panels that were screwed and riveted to a frame, the plan was to remove them and add the sheets to the metal pile.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOUwmoBnp0U1iRUtuN33Kq8kLGc1uqY8F6F1FkWt-4bC-YJl7pQk7LMKHlHVcU73gI5OxhZpYqMOUNKmFfI0DFulbAqRbSlwgdEXQrCxxEMt4X5rYfJYHzWoU2p_7j0aEQNqsXaStTOk/s1600/Photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOUwmoBnp0U1iRUtuN33Kq8kLGc1uqY8F6F1FkWt-4bC-YJl7pQk7LMKHlHVcU73gI5OxhZpYqMOUNKmFfI0DFulbAqRbSlwgdEXQrCxxEMt4X5rYfJYHzWoU2p_7j0aEQNqsXaStTOk/s1600/Photo+1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View inside of the monitor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On removing the back of the monitor I saw that there was some space in it, see photo 1 on the left, and then an idea came to mind, (and no it did not hurt much) it was decided to see if firstly it still worked, it did, (it would not have been my first project that had to be modified or scrapped when the main part had gone faulty during storage) so it was left on overnight with a DVD playing some film to see if the picture and sound stayed working, all was good the next day and so I started on the project.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Parts and fitting</span><br />
There was not enough space in the one area to accommodate the TX/RX in a single unit, so a separate transmitter and receiver boards would be used instead in the monitor, see photo 2 below left.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAuBImom_aLdZdfzXo_SzT0eAJJP5qIEk8eWQdUQvQcRqMvBqa288e1pad7lwNBJiZ8rLXbgWtYDGrrXWwJZQBHyOfyMLTi-ErpiTj71wkP19n0Zs6d1Wii8UlRok5GTSAy8VzPkT7fg/s1600/Photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAuBImom_aLdZdfzXo_SzT0eAJJP5qIEk8eWQdUQvQcRqMvBqa288e1pad7lwNBJiZ8rLXbgWtYDGrrXWwJZQBHyOfyMLTi-ErpiTj71wkP19n0Zs6d1Wii8UlRok5GTSAy8VzPkT7fg/s1600/Photo+2.JPG" height="360" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ATV units installed in the monitor</td></tr>
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The individual TX/RX boards were enclosed in separate metal boxes (used from other projects) some patch leads, switches and a relay were added to the mix, also a small amp was fitted to the transmitter, the metal box would act as a heat sink. I wanted to keep everything inside the cube, fitting the parts to the inside of the cube involved the drilling of its case, but I did not want screw or bolt heads sticking out of the unit as they could snag and mark other equipment around it. The metal on the case was thick enough to allow the use of some tapered screws for a flush fitting, with all the screws, nuts and bolts in stock I had none of the flush fitting type in stock, so a trip to the local hardware store was on the cards and the items needed purchased. After some moving around to see what would fit best in the space available some marking out was done and then the drilling carried out. The drilling was a bit awkward, as the case of the monitor was not only bolted to the chassis but it was also pop riveted and it would have been difficult to take everything apart without damaging other parts of the unit, the monitor was turned upside down for some of the drilling to keep the waste from dropping onto the other parts and some sticky tape to mop up the waste. The back panel was easy to remove by removing a few screws, it is a sturdy piece of metal and I would be mounting an “N” type socket into it. Power for the ATV equipment would be from either a 12v power supply or car battery, the monitor would be powered by mains if at home or an invertor if it is being used portable.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> A word of caution</span><br />
I would have to take care, as in use at home it would mean there would be mains power in use and it could be fatal if any adjustments were to be made whilst the unit was in use. Fitting of the parts was not too bad having done a dry fit first, but once you start adding the various cables and leads you would start running out of space all to quickly. The first plan was to place as many of the controls on the back, but the thoughts of hands reaching around the back of the unit that would be ran off 240v made me decide to have a remote switching box, (see photo 3 below),<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tD-fW9YQ2QxrKtfQjtZ5PpHAxQr7sYLsYXaXhS5W_BYHYBkPw5RrAWF24PY5UJcMAY85wJN1_dtaeqMEQa35PQujqwX5i5aJ5HjNPTquzO6yNjTmRrKiIVws5deYhsHF662vvsB6gpQ/s1600/Photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tD-fW9YQ2QxrKtfQjtZ5PpHAxQr7sYLsYXaXhS5W_BYHYBkPw5RrAWF24PY5UJcMAY85wJN1_dtaeqMEQa35PQujqwX5i5aJ5HjNPTquzO6yNjTmRrKiIVws5deYhsHF662vvsB6gpQ/s1600/Photo+3.JPG" height="262" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The control box</td></tr>
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that would lay on top of the unit and then a removable cable used to connect the unit to the switching box.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDVnMKi1u2VnzD5hR9_lDRO81y7K0pzWK2h9SkesRpjmahb82QP8-8JDMQhlbX9LRrJ7Xl_wzjP49rtHA2JntT5OdQIquXcCArERG4q9Vu5W0TZPutxeY9A_qiJWUizbkQqff2hzYPhg/s1600/Photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDVnMKi1u2VnzD5hR9_lDRO81y7K0pzWK2h9SkesRpjmahb82QP8-8JDMQhlbX9LRrJ7Xl_wzjP49rtHA2JntT5OdQIquXcCArERG4q9Vu5W0TZPutxeY9A_qiJWUizbkQqff2hzYPhg/s1600/Photo+4.JPG" height="262" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the control box before the wiring is fitted</td></tr>
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Photo 4 on the left shows the control box without the wiring, the bar in the center holds a fuse holder and a connection strip, it should be noted that this bar is shown up side down just for the picture, the decision to use two microphone sockets instead of a six pin one was taken due to the fact that the dc cable was nearly as thick as the audio/video leads and I wanted to give myself a bit of room to work with. Using the 2 pin dc connector was not without some trouble, as those old experimenters out there (author included) may remember the old 2 pin Yaesu dc leads, and the fact that there were 3 types that had different distances between the pins and the grief to get ones to pair up to make a spare dc lead. RF output of the unit is just under 10 watts and it will certainly be more than enough for what is needed. <br />
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With the fittings on the back panel,see photo 5 on the left, the leads were longer than they needed to be, as they would have to be long enough to allow the back panel to be removed and to be out of the way to carry out any adjustments.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In use</span><br />
I have used the unit several times and having great fun with it. But nearly dropping it on more than one occasion out portable, a couple of sturdy handles will be fitted to it in the near future when I get ones sturdy enough.<br />
That is it for this issue,<br />
I hope to see you at the Society’s AGM in Galway.<br />
May your signals be P 5.<br />
73 Pat. <br />
<br />Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-44940160684980661962013-11-02T16:29:00.002+00:002013-11-02T16:29:57.889+00:00<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US">Hello and
welcome to the HX Files 027.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In
this issue I would like to talk about a small work station that was made from a
computer bench and some other bits of wood and metal that where lying around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> As mentioned in previous issues of Echo
Ireland, I have no actual workshop and the projects would be made and assembled
in and around my house, and in most cases there would be a lot of time lost
gathering the parts and tools needed for the job and then putting them away so
I can use the room again (normally my bedroom or kitchen). With this bench, the
job (the mess) can be left as it is on the bench and pushed into the spare
room, out of the way until the next time, and the project can be easily be
restarted with the minimum of a delay. As with every job you have to know when
to stop adding thing to the project as the bench would become awkward to move
around. Having used it a few times I would bring most of the parts and tools
needed for the job from their various locations and l would have them to hand
on the bench<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
project started with a bench bought out of Argus some time ago, but when I went
from a tower type PC to a laptop the bench was in the way, as is the way in my
home any flat surface can and will have piles of clothes or something on it and
the stuff will always fall off it, but with its metal frame and wheels I was
reluctant to throw it out, so it was dissembled and put into the shed as it
might come in handy sometime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Many
moons later<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">When
the bench was rediscovered in the back of the shed (over a year later), I
decided to reassemble it and make a small work table/bench out of it, The first
thing done to the bench was to cut a piece of wood to cover the original top, this piece would not have to
be perfect, as when it was screwed to the top of the bench it would act as a
sacrificial worktop surface that could be marked and drilled into, and be
replaced when it got to rough for use.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpm-w2PNE9rDN0Oa3tPiG9hlw3F6hK_h75MbLZ7bc5jF4mC6Ttf67eTYMhvi5P4uUrWa-Ya925j2ZBKKgXQMzUFD8lyXnw7qKWapUwvSNd-uxJp6YnBJiqhQiesRg83lpcovgvJMTAkA/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpm-w2PNE9rDN0Oa3tPiG9hlw3F6hK_h75MbLZ7bc5jF4mC6Ttf67eTYMhvi5P4uUrWa-Ya925j2ZBKKgXQMzUFD8lyXnw7qKWapUwvSNd-uxJp6YnBJiqhQiesRg83lpcovgvJMTAkA/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The storage bins added</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The sliding shelf under the bench top</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(seen in
photo 1 on the left) was originally for the keyboard and as a result is close to the bench
top, and its mounting brackets are part of the metal framework and could not be
moved. I decided to use it to hold a parts tray and some tools being used at
the time for a project, but as the trays being used would not fit on the shelf,
the only thing was to fit the trays into the shelf, (as there was plenty of
room under it). So with having a sick jig saw the only choice I had was to
drill a series of large holes using a hole cutter to remove as much of the
timber first, and then with a small saw and some files, squared of the edges so
the trays fitted. One of them has a lip on it so it would hold it’s self in
place, the other one was held in with the addition of a couple of angle
brackets screwed to the shelf and box. On the bottom of the trolley some wood
was added to all the sides to increase the capacity of it and to stop anything
falling off. There is also a large gap between the sliding tray and base shelf
so another fixed shelf can be made to hold some more tools and parts for the
project being worked on (but not at the moment) also added was a rail on each
side that some cables and leads could be draped over them and always be to hand.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcpy9sK8PmdHCYrhIhwYpLOG77DtqxYbKt_feBHbd9zynfPuvDuUN3P6lkBmQj9XBGK-B3274-H-7E5SWZNVm_I5AS8NM0nqC11-fXD0y-NJ9eY75s_IEhebmjJ-42hTPWlxCwRl57wY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcpy9sK8PmdHCYrhIhwYpLOG77DtqxYbKt_feBHbd9zynfPuvDuUN3P6lkBmQj9XBGK-B3274-H-7E5SWZNVm_I5AS8NM0nqC11-fXD0y-NJ9eY75s_IEhebmjJ-42hTPWlxCwRl57wY/s640/photo+2.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 2 watt transmitter under test</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">With
all the metalwork done, a back board was made (photo 2 above) and also fitted to the
top of the backboard was another shelf; this shelf had some edging fitted to it
to stop items falling off it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Not
wanting to use one of the large and heavy power supplies I had, a PSU was used that
came from one of a few tower computers, and then it was attached to the back of
the bench, along with a double mains socket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> I got the computers from a friend who recycles
them, the computers where from a local college that were replacing their stock
and I was given some of them, (5) after their hard drives and some other parts
had been removed by him. The power supply from the pc has outputs of 3, 5, and
12 volts and it will be used to power the project being worked on and even
using some of the 12 volt led’s lights to illuminate the work area from above
and from the side, as well as having the use of a mains flexi lamp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The dismantled
cases from the computers can be seen on the bottom of photo 3 on the left, that metal will
be ready when I borrow the guillotine from a friend to cut the metal down to
more manageable sizes once I first flatten the folds in the panels, also seen
in the photo 3 with the metal are some cereal boxes that will be used to make
some templates with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In photo 3 on the left, you can
see on the left and right sides of the back board I mounted some dc sockets on
a couple of blanking plates, these sockets are attached to the various outputs
of the power supply </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNAE5TzDBELlTCIWtz4NJMiDIIUPRlKi3QskJEQzv-rfHJuoLCOVJDOW86A_1D7qNyu1DkjTOI8yjjf5QkJlrfb68nQIZjDAvMtlXbBwBKJN5LYW0HdSsJPGoPhjv3I_bo9hA4bSHHpc/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNAE5TzDBELlTCIWtz4NJMiDIIUPRlKi3QskJEQzv-rfHJuoLCOVJDOW86A_1D7qNyu1DkjTOI8yjjf5QkJlrfb68nQIZjDAvMtlXbBwBKJN5LYW0HdSsJPGoPhjv3I_bo9hA4bSHHpc/s400/photo+4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The frequency counter in use</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> In photo 4 on the right,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> and photo 2 above,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> you can see a project
having its frequency being measured.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The frequency measuring unit is the one I
won in the famous Cork Rally raffle, (you would be, a Langer, not to buy a
ticket for the raffle).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">That’s
it for this issue folks, May all your signals be P5.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">73
Pat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The unit with the top panel to be wired </td></tr>
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Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-48239086184163923462013-07-03T01:41:00.003+01:002013-07-03T01:41:41.093+01:00The HX Files 026<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYPYP_we-R0IaELFrlQTOwGbdibu2gIAWVdon8fIDUNljRnlrB1bLjchS2H4Nj4D2UkVqGZa5b6x19Iq24pcBoOscGqcBaASG6pKAZV8k_5Pq8BHdYrWUhcDeF-l-Y_MEzjmfDAjQ0F0/s1600/Photo+1+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
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Hello and welcome the HX Files.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In this issue of Echo Ireland I would like to talk about
a couple of small masts made for the car, the car has not got a tow bar fitted
at the moment, but it does have a couple of towing eyes. These towing eyes are
hidden behind a couple of panels on the cars front and rear bumpers, and when
these panels are removed it will expose a treaded hole that the towing eye can
be screwed into, also some cars have an
eye(s) wielded to its chassis, bot more of that type later.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Caution<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Please be careful when you operate portable and are
setting up a mast of any height , when you get on site just don’t look straight ahead and see were your horizon is but also look up, to see if there
are any cables above your aerials.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Shopping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The idea for this
project came to mind in a local Aldi store, I was looking at their usual weekly
bargains and noticed they some clothes line risers, and they were only €3.50
each and extend to 8 ft, so 2 were put into the trolley. As yet I had no idea
what to do with them ( certainly nothing like what they were designed for)but
as they were made of metal they would
come in handy, and as I have often found out that after they have all been sold
I have found a need for them and now they cannot be got. While waiting my turn
in the queue, a germ of an idea started to form about using them as a couple of
small mast while out portable and attaching them somehow to the car,( so I left
my stuff at the conveyor belt and got 2 more, as you just never know……). First
thing to do was to see what sort of towing eye bolt was in the car or to see if
it was still in the boot, and to see if a length of threaded bar with the same
tread as the towing eye could be got. A visit to one of the local hardware
stores was made and the threaded bar bought along with some nuts, washers and a
couple of eye nuts (see photo 1 below of some the parts used).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS2gvl3jaxaGJ73L6o4mkMW3w-50h05qBcqX-4L2GgLyzLrEsEKlev5Fs7-osKBMEpYJD2kccfLGsFjo3igCmMBAixUTlNWAWjNziyVuxz3qhFwDGuQTtLlCthlH1-eozMxwisPuMHJA/s1600/Photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS2gvl3jaxaGJ73L6o4mkMW3w-50h05qBcqX-4L2GgLyzLrEsEKlev5Fs7-osKBMEpYJD2kccfLGsFjo3igCmMBAixUTlNWAWjNziyVuxz3qhFwDGuQTtLlCthlH1-eozMxwisPuMHJA/s320/Photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of the parts used</span></td></tr>
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The first thing done
on the car was to see how much of the bar would be used to screw up tight to
the end of the nut on the car, and noticing that a longer length would be
needed for the back of the car as the tail gate would hit the mast if it was
left the factory length. With the sizes now sorted out the bar was cut, the
ends were cleaned up with a file so they would tread onto the nuts after
cutting, the middle and bottom eyes in photo 2 below, show the finished towing eyes .<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlrIWy__5RC2ueaV_ziLFnMoEU6-bTJMMqcDv-2jgD15hklodxhG3AC6v7RhA-Q5YmJWsazROSnRYEMk96QugYTimNly4cmPchoELEqNk8DE26oJLnDEQ64d5Nb2r93tE4FT-dbWDXe4/s1600/Photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlrIWy__5RC2ueaV_ziLFnMoEU6-bTJMMqcDv-2jgD15hklodxhG3AC6v7RhA-Q5YmJWsazROSnRYEMk96QugYTimNly4cmPchoELEqNk8DE26oJLnDEQ64d5Nb2r93tE4FT-dbWDXe4/s320/Photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The finished eyes</span></td></tr>
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With that job done the next to do was to connect the mast
to the eye nut , I wanted to make the union of the mast and brackets in the
least amount of parts, as with the more parts you have the chances of a part
being left behind could be an issue. The
diameter of the pole was greater than the threaded bar, but a piece of metal
tube was found that was slightly smaller than the pole, and it itself was just
larger than the threaded bar. All this would fit inside the tube and so they
were drilled through and riveted together, (photo 3 below).<br />
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The Next job was to drill
a hole in a small piece of metal and wield a nut to it, and they in turn were
wielded to the towing eye. The wielding was done for me by Kevin EI5JG who
suggested that I could use one of the earlier mast made if I could get a towing
ball that was finished like a bolt and not the usual one that ends in a plate,
and yes I knew there was one in a storage bin somewhere and after a search it was
found, a couple of washers s were used as spacers and put either side of the cars
original towing eye and the lot bolted together (see top of photo 2). The eye nuts used for the project had to have
a couple spacers made, if I wanted to use the towing ball on them, as the nut
part of the eye was wider than the rest of the circle so a piece had to be cut
out of them for a better fit, (see photo below). <o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwERSw9cjyEh_p2mCRNwpIVmiRtNJ91cS3t2Nc00PwnmtCHcN66CufquyRdlksImZe_fL2CaLyjJkrMGd-OVIISlESFcWRK7v96gVK9g6g7Fnbb_v82tpsvjS8u7HD4DXtc5JzJr7Riw/s1600/Photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwERSw9cjyEh_p2mCRNwpIVmiRtNJ91cS3t2Nc00PwnmtCHcN66CufquyRdlksImZe_fL2CaLyjJkrMGd-OVIISlESFcWRK7v96gVK9g6g7Fnbb_v82tpsvjS8u7HD4DXtc5JzJr7Riw/s320/Photo+4.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Previously<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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As mentioned
earlier, the cars that came with the other type of towing eye could have that
type wielded or bolted horizontal or vertical to the car. For that job the use
of a couple of pieces of angle iron would be used, as there would be more
strength in the angle iron than from a piece of flat iron. The last car I had
had a the towing eye vertical on the front and horizontal at the rear, and by
carefully removing a piece from the H or V of the angle iron, you could use
that piece for the other side of the eye. Drilling the angle and the piece of
metal removed from it you would have the holes needed to bolt the bracket to
the car. As for the other end of the bracket, you could remove the metal from
the other plane, and that would leave you with a single bracket that could be
used on the front or rear of the car. Depending on the type of mast being used
the same bolt hole could be used for attaching it, if not another piece could
be bolted or wielded to suit what is needed. At the end of the day I would have
two new brackets to attach some small masts to the car and not having to put a
number plate buster (a tow bar) on the car just for the masts. For a bigger
mast the option of having a mast support that would involve the car being
driven onto the bottom plate of it, and the larger mast being bolted to the
upright. Depending on the weather at the site you may need to stay the mast,
either way with the car being used as an anchor for the mast you will not be
able to move your location as easily as if the car and mast were as one, but if
you are familiar with the location you are going to use you will know what you
need to bring with you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And finally<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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That’s it for this
issue, may your signals be P5.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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73, Pat</div>
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<br />Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-11098057252245764132013-05-03T15:03:00.002+01:002014-02-08T15:22:17.576+00:00The HX Files 025<br />
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Hello and welcome to Xtract 025 of the HX files.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In this Xtract I would like to talk about a couple
additions made to one of the 10 GHz dishes used when out portable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This would involve somehow attaching a block of metal to
the back of one of the dishes. The metal would be shaped to the same profile as
the dish and it would have a telescopic sight and a laser fitted to it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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These attachments would (I hope) help me line up with the
other station in the qsl The telescopic sight to help line up the other
station, and the laser would hit the spot of their location or at least very
close to it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">New toy</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Before talking about the project in this issue of Echo
Ireland, I was wondering what project was going to finish first as I was moving
from one project to another as the stock pile was missing a few parts for some
of them, and not wanting to remove parts from other projects made in earlier
issues what was one to do, then just what I needed, a new project came to the
top of the list that pushed the others to the back burner; I decided to change
my car. I had a friend looking out for a car for me and in the last couple of
days of February he found what I was looking for and a new toy was bought. One
job was to take the radios out of the other car and into the new car, (new to
me that is) the ATV gear had to be removed and installed also, although not
fully installed into the car yet, some of the ATV equipment is in place and
just waiting to be connected, as with some cars there are not too many hiding
places to place the parts, and it is getting harder to get cables from the car
battery to your equipment. For now only one hole was drilled in the roof for
the 2m/70cms aerial and now it is a waiting game to see if a tow bar or a roof
rack is purchased to attach anything else. Play time was brought to an abrupt
end when our editor let it be known that the deadline was only a couple of days
away as I had not noticed the time, so words like gosh and darn were uttered
and something had to be finished for Echo Ireland. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The sight</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The telescopic sight (photo 1 above) was bought at a rally in
the UK, the trader who I know for many years said that I had the wrong accent
to be buying this sort of thing over hear, he did not know what to think when I
asked him if he had anything to go under the sight ( a rifle).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some details</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The sight is to be mounted above the centre of the dish,
and the laser is mounted below the sight. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Lining up the sight and laser would not require any high
tech equipment, the high-tech thing done in a friends yard was to fire the
laser (switch it on) at the wall, mark that spot on the wall with a felt pen,
and then using a spirit level I marked a spot on the wall the same distance as
the sight is mounted above the dish centre, so in theory the spot on the wall
would show were the rf is heading for.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyway back to the start of the construction, using a
piece of wood a template was cut out to match the metal, firstly using a fret
saw and then finishing it off with some files and sandpaper to get it right.
With that job done it was time to get the shape marked out onto a piece of
metal fit enough for the job.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After a bit of a search the block of aluminium (photo 2 below )
was found in the parts bin, and the wooden template traced onto the metal
block.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Using a small
angle grinder, fitted with a cutting disk, a lot of the unwanted metal was
removed and the cutting disk replaced with a grinding disk, this would remove
most of the metal and leave a small amount to be filed to the final shape.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ooops</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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It was while grinding the last of the metal that some of
the aluminium dust was sucked into the grinder through the cooling ducts and in
an instant the dust ignited and there was a flash and the mains power tripped.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When the power was turned back on I found out two things,
one that the grinder no longer worked as the aluminium dust had gotten into the
workings of the grinder and wielded to them, and two, new underwear needed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was while
grinding the metal that the dust was hitting the guard behind the vice and
unknown to me, some of it was bouncing back towards the grinder and being
sucked into its cooling ducts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With the curve finally right some grooves were cut into
both sides of the top of the block so that the sight would slide onto the block
of metal for fitting. The laser was to be clamped to the block using some
fittings from another project until some were made for it, but the drill bit
jammed, snapped and followed by the drill with me holding it and the metal
fitting broke. So some changes had to be made for this issue, and not
having similar brackets in stock yet, I am
just using the smaller laser, or as the trader said, it is an astronomy aide, When the bracket was finished it had to be
attached to the dish but how, not wanting to drill any holes into the dish or
the wave guide after a chat in one of my local hardware stores with members of
the staff some adhesive was used and that adhesive is so strong that you would
bend the dish rather than break its hold on the parts.</div>
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Photo 4 above shows the sight in position and the
laser just placed on top of the wave guide,</div>
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it or the larger one will be
attached to the plate when the parts are got.</div>
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That’s it for this issue; may your
signals be P5.</div>
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73 de Pat.</div>
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Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-32363588117129711192013-01-25T15:31:00.001+00:002013-01-25T16:01:59.133+00:00The HX Files Xtract 024<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Hello and welcome to Xtract 024 of the HX Files.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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In this issue I would like to write about some of the
templates that were made, and used, to help me in the layout of the parts in some
of the projects constructed over the last few years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like in any construction project you would layout the
various parts to be used in the project to find out not only what goes were but
were to drill, file and shape.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When it comes to drilling out the holes and filing them
to shape for the final fitting, you would be placing the parts in and out of
their positions many times before their final placement, and as a result the
parts can get marked, damaged and even broken, and as a result of this, over
some time various templates have being made to help me out, see photo 1 below for a few
of them beside the actual parts to be used.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCq1H87ehTqR7kNJZH5KaXCVLh05CgAagFCqCBnD0ssf82ZPErHuQqnspEAjGGW1GalC2j08wzb0A_on4rg31yXZWzSmFusWX9AS_vpQd0OWhF8LTnACFnaVqaeWKXeEMlNTiWxN3eii0/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCq1H87ehTqR7kNJZH5KaXCVLh05CgAagFCqCBnD0ssf82ZPErHuQqnspEAjGGW1GalC2j08wzb0A_on4rg31yXZWzSmFusWX9AS_vpQd0OWhF8LTnACFnaVqaeWKXeEMlNTiWxN3eii0/s400/photo+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Project parts and templates</span></td></tr>
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The easiest to make was the template made for the various
amplifiers that have been used, as they are most often mounted on to some heat
sink by the manufacturer in its enclosure and this would entail removing one of
its lids, and this was a ready made template that could be used for marking out
its location.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But when it came to space being a part of the
construction a piece of wood was cut to the size of the amp and the lids bonded
to the wood, and some small screws and/or panel pins are used to act as their
coaxial sockets and DC connections, later on some of the templates had N type
sockets and others had the SMA type fitted to them as well as a screw or two,
and these screws would act as the DC connections.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The 1.2/2.5 GHZ transmitters are the same size as each
other, and like wise, their receiver boards, so only one of each would have to
be made.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After sourcing some scrap wood, some marking out and
rough cutting of the wood was done first and by using some dowel rod to mimic
the phono, aerial and DC sockets. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Smaller parts like the coaxial relays fuse boards, aerial
sockets, and such like would not require a template, but I found parts
like the SMA terminated coaxial relay would be on most projects featured in
Echo Ireland be fixed internally in the project
and mounted onto, or sandwiched between a couple of suitable heat sinks.
The larger N type coaxial relays mostly being used often come with a mounting bracket
that can be used as a template for marking out the locations of the aerial sockets,
seen on top right in photo 1.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For an item like the TV/monitor it would not be practical
to make a template unless you could be guaranteed to be able to get the same
size of TV/monitor every time, as a foot
note a couple of 4 inch (100 mm) monitors are in-stock , but their mounting plates are
both completely different from one another. At a recent rally four 6 inch
(150 mm) monitors were purchased and these are identical to one another so it
will be worth making a template for them. These monitors were used for an ice
system (in car entertainment system) and would be originally wrapped around the
headrest of the vehicle by their own Velcro straps, but as they could be
mounted onto the projects by either fixing some small pieces of angle aluminium
to their back, or to make a frame, and for it to be attached to the project first
and then to the monitor. Some of the projects made did not have many connecting power
or coaxial cables, but of those that require a lot of cabling, a wiring loom would
be made. When a wiring loom is needed for a project t a layout of the parts are
naturally done first on some paper and then a line drawn from the various part to
its switch, LED, power or coaxial point, and then when the case or box to house
the project has been found, it is also decided what parts are going were. A
piece of wood is cut to the size of the chassis and the various project parts
would then be screwed or stuck to the wood. With that completed some screws or
nails were added that would act as formers or guides for the various cables to
be used in the loom, by simply using some string (in stock, as it is cheaper
than the finished cable) to act as the cables, the string would be tied onto
the screws on the templates and then the string ran along the board to the
other points on its line and then tied off. (This would be repeated until all
parts were catered for) Once you were
happy you would transfer each length of string to the appropriate length and
rating of cable, and with all the cables now replacing the string they could be
bound together with some tape or cable ties. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAOq4th4Kslhl2K9pmLe2FgP0xEgbeGqrxOmdKCXehZ31FDkF3ZAbwbQUhYqqROlegM7VslfzBG2A-rFTKoyezD7KpycismYNuJ_T1mhUM4TPtBcJgTVV5ylBA2cE-z_dSKwhnGZ_z98/s1600/photo+2a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAOq4th4Kslhl2K9pmLe2FgP0xEgbeGqrxOmdKCXehZ31FDkF3ZAbwbQUhYqqROlegM7VslfzBG2A-rFTKoyezD7KpycismYNuJ_T1mhUM4TPtBcJgTVV5ylBA2cE-z_dSKwhnGZ_z98/s400/photo+2a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmspOyBJze-NSxtki-K_2mG8g2QIYsVIaGQE-vErXZeiRyejcl94BkrrcyJPRJObaV8zhG0bLv4la-_YAimuABAT-M25CjMrS_a3Z3jKNRHq0GNq89DC1RWvIME3OFdDO2aKoQgUeCjg/s1600/photo+2b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmspOyBJze-NSxtki-K_2mG8g2QIYsVIaGQE-vErXZeiRyejcl94BkrrcyJPRJObaV8zhG0bLv4la-_YAimuABAT-M25CjMrS_a3Z3jKNRHq0GNq89DC1RWvIME3OFdDO2aKoQgUeCjg/s400/photo+2b.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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As you can see in photo 2 above and on the right, the
template of the chassis and front panel have a few holes and screws about their
surfaces, these are for the various switches and any other parts that would be
attached to the panels. You maybe able
to see the string and the screws making up some of the loom, the piece of
string tied to the screw representing the switch and routed along the screws to
the fuse point and then to the DC supply, and this you would do until you have
everything wired up, there are a few holes in the chassis boards and the ones not in use are covered with a piece of sticky tape or label when starting to wire up the
parts to be used.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_BxQ-V9vE4rK2s1EhpZSq8C-PeQZcuYcZ81qZVm0CNqVD6LkFixyZSc2DVmH-oCwmkJ8mFfZl8o0w-pwmkFbasfWSDboRtWYk8iWiXfJwi_tPaoFTAwVaKmMDiHPjpU7S-0FrbHL1hg/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_BxQ-V9vE4rK2s1EhpZSq8C-PeQZcuYcZ81qZVm0CNqVD6LkFixyZSc2DVmH-oCwmkJ8mFfZl8o0w-pwmkFbasfWSDboRtWYk8iWiXfJwi_tPaoFTAwVaKmMDiHPjpU7S-0FrbHL1hg/s640/photo+3.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bird Watt meter parts</span> </td></tr>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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For some project you may have no other choice but to use
the actual parts,(those of you who have a Bird meter need not worry as one was not scraped,I bought the parts of a fellow ham who had bought them off a dealer, so rest assured dear readers a meter <u>did NOT die</u> for this up coming project) as you can see in photo 3 above these parts are being used in a
forthcoming project, the parts are from
a Bird Watt meter and the only part seen other than the meter is the cavity
that its slug is located, but that is another story……..</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzodIdXEOP_Bmc_pg0HeAberz1Rp1DQw_kTli4IsouQdi1rmutnoX5ZzjZLY1zcaBlg1r1ybVzhp0_l3DtxnzFEHojIdOS8Hs95ii7tjDs8EMVx_Qnl5zFyPqnIqoXEG85Xc28ylwIx4/s1600/close+up+of+templates.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzodIdXEOP_Bmc_pg0HeAberz1Rp1DQw_kTli4IsouQdi1rmutnoX5ZzjZLY1zcaBlg1r1ybVzhp0_l3DtxnzFEHojIdOS8Hs95ii7tjDs8EMVx_Qnl5zFyPqnIqoXEG85Xc28ylwIx4/s640/close+up+of+templates.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Close up of some of the templates</span></td></tr>
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And finally, I would like to wish you and your family a prosperous New Year,</div>
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and may your signals continue
to be P5.<o:p></o:p></div>
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73, Pat.<o:p></o:p></div>
Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-84769557616959633122012-10-28T12:53:00.000+00:002012-10-28T12:53:41.927+00:00<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hello and welcome to Xtract 023 of the HX
Files.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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In this xtract I would like to talk about a handy little project that
was made a short time ago, its main use is to be a quick setup when first
arriving on site, and it would get you on air in a few minutes by using the
tripod, a slot aerial and coax you would be on air whilst the main station was
being setup.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQH_G0HiaBnGgF7Spd8ImFSTNEcnM1kBlHwS40Rxuup9_-u-iQCmUzr7gLJUvTbHwMhYwrwvDrZVXCKUkbF4-qCg3EgLMlgeT3OuLO0QXB-a2DFWFuLDSNJx_SFph3bvdXhyphenhyphen_85rwEro/s1600/PHOTO+1a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQH_G0HiaBnGgF7Spd8ImFSTNEcnM1kBlHwS40Rxuup9_-u-iQCmUzr7gLJUvTbHwMhYwrwvDrZVXCKUkbF4-qCg3EgLMlgeT3OuLO0QXB-a2DFWFuLDSNJx_SFph3bvdXhyphenhyphen_85rwEro/s400/PHOTO+1a.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h2>
The unit in receive mode</h2>
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In photo 1 above you can see the finished project,<br />
top is the
transmitter, on the left side is the receiver, in the middle is an N type
socket, on the middle right is a TX/RX switch, a red and green lights, and a
red and black DC sockets. In the lid of the box is a monitor and on the top
left of the lid is a camera with sound.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Case history<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The case for the project was bought at a nearby car boot sale, it was
originally a vanity case and the main reason it was bought was (not for the
fiver the seller was asking or the hair dryer in it but) the fact that the lid
was deep as it would accommodate a monitor for a project when I got a monitor
small enough to fit, and there the case lay, languishing in the stores
department, (as seen in the last HX Files) for a couple of years. Maybe some
time I will feature the stuff in that department/shed in a future issue when/if
I have to take everything out for some stock taking.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The build<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The first thing I noticed was that the case had a couple of narrow
metal brackets riveted to the sides to form a support for something when the
case was brand new. These brackets would be used as a support for the main
panel and for a change the panel was cut from some of the mesh sheets that were
bought in Friedrichshafen this year. The panel had holes of 8mm in it and after
measuring the internal dimensions of the box a piece was cut out with some tin
snips and made to fit the case. You would think that having a piece of metal
with a couple of hundred holes in it that it would make for an easy time but
they were never in the right location but with the snips and some files the
parts could be fitted to it, but as the holes were not in line it meant that
when cut out the panel had a lot of sharp edges to it, although the panel would
be recessed into the case a lot of filing still had to be done which took a
while and I was almost sorry I did not pick a piece of solid sheet metal
instead. Knowing the case was a small and that the components would be close to
each other I could not be to fussy unless I wanted to made my own case, and
also having the 12v battery as a primary power source installed in the case, things
would be cramped and some compromising would have to be done. With that in mind
the laying out of parts followed, and then with the aide of a file one of the
holes was widened to the size of the SMA fitting on the TX board, and with a pair
of snips some of the metal was removed to let the phono and DC sockets protrude
trough the mesh, some fine tuning was done with the use of various files to
smooth the edges and to make the parts fit nice and tight.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The same method was to fit the RX board next and most of the rest
of the parts were able to be fitted as they were small enough to be installed
with no need for the holes to be touched, with the exception of the N type
connector the file was used to remove the excesses metal. With the TX/RX boards
and other fittings in place, but as the transmitter’s output power was 50mw I
decided to use a 2 watt amp, it was connected to the TX unit with a small SMA
patch lead on one end of the amp and the previously mentioned N type panel
mount to the other end, and as the amp was mounted under the panel, and the
transmitter’s SMA fitting was above it, one of the holes in the panel was
widened to allow the patch lead through it and connect the transmitter to the
amp. The fuse holder was mounted on the top of the panel, as if there was a
power issue the fuse could be checked out quickly without the need for a tare down of the unit. The use of the DC sockets are two fold, their primary use
are to allow the recharging of the units 12v 5 amp internal battery, and they
would also be a handy source of 12v.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLEH_oy4omZR24Np-zm54lf_qotCxNfGazVS_Rq2Ezkh0nDPhycG_lnYoPnLSPlj6ko9yaTIjvU-Yz2WB8Z9fWYdgepteTFDRgKyb-i8-gE-ZCXuDgw5EZ8PND2Q2DTQ9s2-tCV6ZA38/s1600/photo+3%252Ccamera+location.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLEH_oy4omZR24Np-zm54lf_qotCxNfGazVS_Rq2Ezkh0nDPhycG_lnYoPnLSPlj6ko9yaTIjvU-Yz2WB8Z9fWYdgepteTFDRgKyb-i8-gE-ZCXuDgw5EZ8PND2Q2DTQ9s2-tCV6ZA38/s400/photo+3%252Ccamera+location.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 3</td></tr>
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The monitor was attached to the lid of the
case with the use of some small brackets to leave a space for the audio to be
heard, as the monitors internal speakers were mounted in the back of it, it
also had a headphone socket so you could use the headphones or a set of active
speakers depending on the location, in photo 3 to the left of the monitor you
can see were the camera is fitted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In use <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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To use the transceiver the
toggle switch is moved from its centre off position and pulled towards the
operator, and to receive the switch is pushed away from the operator from the
off position. There is no separate power cut off switch, but this toggle switch
has a locking system, to use it you have to lift a spring loaded shaft and move
the switch to the position you want, when the shaft is released it locks the
switch in that position and it cannot be moved until the shaft is lifted.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63qZPLgLkTsfIif7kf-EUXvwECpF-zD0s5Q97qYZOIURGU2zZ3jXVhLuBbBFXTPmBnE27NKa7Odiy3eSktcq1O-IfdwiQdKat2vefEwJZugx8ywFMzPHf7TjY7Dijre02ZLX0HfDHHs8/s1600/Photo+2%252Cclose+up+of+photo+1+of+aerial+and+adaptor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63qZPLgLkTsfIif7kf-EUXvwECpF-zD0s5Q97qYZOIURGU2zZ3jXVhLuBbBFXTPmBnE27NKa7Odiy3eSktcq1O-IfdwiQdKat2vefEwJZugx8ywFMzPHf7TjY7Dijre02ZLX0HfDHHs8/s640/Photo+2%252Cclose+up+of+photo+1+of+aerial+and+adaptor.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 2</td></tr>
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As
you can see from photo 2 on the left (a close up of photo 1), a small aerial is attached to
the receiver for self monitoring if I decide to leave the unit in TX mode I
could use another DC lead and connect the receiver to the DC sockets, to the
right of that aerial you can see an SMA to N type adapter that will allow the
main aerial to be connected.</div>
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In photo 4 below, you can see the kit ready for assembling on site, the aerial used is a slot type and above it is its protective sleeve( removed for the picture) which is made up of a piece of plastic waste pipe.</div>
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When not out and about with
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and transmitters like the one featured in issue 08 of the HX Files as seen
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And finally</span></div>
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This project has reminded me that somewhere in the deepest part of
the shed is a much larger case so if get brave I will go exploring and locate
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That’s it for now and may all your signals be P5</div>
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73 Pat.</div>
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Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-27947302896294636062012-08-26T22:20:00.001+01:002012-08-26T22:22:46.521+01:00<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The HX Files 22</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Hello and welcome to Xtract 22 of the HX Files.</div>
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As I wright this Xtract of the HX Files it is only a few
weeks from<br />
the Friedrichshafen rally in Germany,<o:p></o:p></div>
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some more goodies
were bought and added to the stock pile (the shed)<br />
see photo1below.</div>
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Some of the stock to be used in upcoming issues of the HX Files featured in<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Echo Ireland</span>, the journal of the Irish Radio Transmitters Society ( I.R.T.S.),</div>
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No doubt some items will come in handy, I hope. (Will I ever learn)?<br />
As you can see
from photo 1,<br />
I might need a new stores shed, but what is a man (hoarder) to
do<br />
as it is very handy to have things in stock and not waiting a couple of weeks for the postman.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Not all ATV</span><span style="font-size: large;"> (</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">shock and horror</span><span style="font-size: large;">)</span></div>
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Just like this time last year, I took part in the
I.R.T.S. v/uhf field day, the stations were set up and manned by the Dundalk
ARS, (EI7DAR) Dundalk went /p in Colon Co, Louth in io63qs. The 23cms ssb and
70cms stations were setup in the back of Marks (EI9FX) van, the 23cms station
was an Icom 910 transceiver, and a single 35el beam, the 70cms setup was a
Kenwood TS2000 and a single 18el beam. Electricity was supplied by Marks 3.3kv
generator, with the radios and a couple of desk lamps only using up a few watts
that left more than enough power to use the most important piece of equipment
that was brought to </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Slibh Bragh</span> (our location) the electric kettle . <o:p></o:p></div>
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In photo 2 above you can see Marks rotator which is turned by
pulling on the rope to turn the beam, not having a direction indicator in the
shack was not much of a hardship as all that had to be done was to use the
compass to make sure the beam was pointing near enough to the other station and
then some fine tuning to lock-on to them, but it did mean that when the aerials
were to be turned someone had to get out of the van with their wetsuit on, yes
it was that wet for a time one could say that the ground was flooded.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In photo 3 above, you can see some of the bits and pieces bought
in Germany, a couple of centre feeds for some 24 Ghz dishes, also seen are some
transitions that will convert the waveguide to sma, an a circulator all for 24 Ghz,
a couple of items for 5.7 Ghz, a few panel mount N type sockets with various
lengths of coaxial cable terminated with a sma fitting on the other end. The
mesh sheets seen in photo 1 will be used for some chassis work and maybe even a
front panel or two. With a few projects on the go at the same time, the one described
below was the nearest to completion for this journal, and as most of the parts
were to hand and no need to dig my way in and out of the shed it also needed
the least amount of chassis bashing to be completed I decided to finish it first.<o:p></o:p></div>
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10 GHz Transceiver</div>
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The project in this Echo Ireland is reusing an old
test/QRP 10 GHz transmitter that I have for a while, but to do anything with it
I found that its enclosure was just big enough for the transmitter and the
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The bottom of the
unit you see in Photo 4 above, is of an old security camera enclosure bought at a car boot
sale and it is a good size and would be more than big enough to take the old
transmitter and even a receiver and circulator so it now would become a
transceiver. After a bit of seeing what went where, the first job was to remove
the glass pane that was bonded to the front (some of the ingredients used in
the manufacturing of glass would distort/block the signal passing through it), so
the kettle was boiled (sadly not to make tea) and with the use of the kitchen
sink the water was added slowly over the front of the housing and left to soak
for a couple of moments to soften the glue. Using a bit of pressure from my
thumbs on the glass a gap started to appear and with the use of a small flat
metal ruler as a leaver the glass was removed in one piece, the glass was then
used as a template to mark out a piece of Perspex which was then glued in.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A small chassis
was made out of some mesh sheeting, and it was found that some of the holes matched up with the mounting holes in the base of the camera housing, those that were slightly out of line were made slightly wider by the use of a tapered reamer, and with that job done the parts were bolted into place on it. The solfen head was bolted to one
side of the circulator and the Lnb on one of the other ones. The LNB “slot” is smaller than the ones in the circulator “slot”
and a waveguide adapter was used to connect them together, this was done
firstly by drilling some holes in the adapter plate to match the holes on the
other parts, both parts have threaded holes and could be screwed together, but
the makeup of the circulator meant that the heads of the bolts to be used would
not allow them to be screwed in straight, so off with their heads and a slot
was cut into the top of them so that a small flat headed screwdriver could be
used, the screwdriver was small enough to pass through the circulator from the
solfen head side and the bolts could be
tightened. The Gunnmode 4 board was first attached to a chassis and then the
Horne type aerial bolted above that. To use the transmitter I simply switch it
on and off directly from the PSU (as there is no tx/rx switching unit) audio
and video leads run into the transmitter from a camcorder, and to receive a
signal I use an old analogue satellite receiver with a length of coax
connecting the satellite receiver to the LNB and as a result I can monitor my
tx signal whilst transmitting, and turning the tx off I can look for other
signals. The finished transceiver was
attached to a pole pointing down my back yard and I will be able to use it to
checkout any other 10 GHz transmitters and LNB’s I may be working on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, may all your signals be P5, 73,s de Pat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-60339372590953582402012-06-03T18:21:00.000+01:002012-06-03T18:25:23.191+01:00HX Files 021<br />
<h2>
Hello and welcome to xtract 021 of the HX Files.</h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<h3>
What to do</h3>
After making a few transceivers for use at home or
portable, I was wondering what to make next? I was thinking what else would be
of use, a beam or a vertical either one of them would be handy to have in the
spares department, for the vertical aerial which typically is a slot type would
involve some tools that I do not have in my workshop, so I decided that a beam
it was is to be. While looking for designs of beams on the net I noticed that
some of them were like the ones I have myself but only bigger, that was not the
only thing bigger than I have that I saw
on the net ( towers , cars and of course an aerial). Some of the aerial designs
were rather complicated to try as a first time project, but deciding on the designs that were like my own was not
a hard choice to make so I had a look at
the ones I use and decided to extend a couple of them. The conventional type of
beam was not too bad to make as most of the basic parts were in stock,
originally it was a 35el Tonna and now it is a 42el instead. I already have a 55el at my home location but
that aerial has two support arms underneath it I did not go to that trouble as
I had not got enough of the tubing for the supporting framework. Working on
that aerial was not too bad as a piece of box tubing the same size was in stock
as was some of the standoff brackets for the elements. A couple of copper
brazing rods were bought and a constructing we went. Having a ready made aerial
was great as I could copy the extra piece of the beam that was to be attached
to the 35el aerial. The elements were cut using a small hacksaw with the rod
being held in a vice, the elements were
not all the same length but there were a
few of each that were the same size, and again having something to copy from was
very handy but I still had to make sure that my markings and cuttings were
exact. With that job done I had only to place the elements into their standoff brackets
and make sure that the same amount of element was visible either side of the bracket.
The new standoff brackets were bought at a rally some time ago for spares just
in case some of the original ones were damaged. The brackets simply just
clicked onto the boom, the original brackets had a small bump on them that
fitted into a dimple on the boom which gave them the correct distance apart,
the new ones had no bump on them and neither was there any dimples on the new
section of boom but they were a tighter fit and seemed to offer a lot of
resistance when I tried to move them, the distance of the extra elements were
all the same as only the first few on the original beam had a different gap so
I made a spacer out of a scrap piece of angle wood to match the gap between the
elements .The other beam was originally a 15el loop aerial, and just like the
other aerial, from element 4<sup>th</sup> to the last one were the same distance apart
and the same diameter of loop. Copying the loops meant using some sort of a
former to wrap the wire around to make the loops. As luck would have it I had a
large diameter hole cutter (Photo 1 below) that was the same size as the loop, with
only what to use to make the loop elements out of being the next issue. After a
quick look through the store bunkers I found some rods and whips (I found them
beside the fluffy handcuffs but that’s another story) that I could use for something
to make the loops with. I was thinking of the odd lengths from some off-cuts of
old and scraped aerials I had and also though of brazing/wielding rods, and even
the loop of metal that is on the back of the hub caps found on some cars, keep an eye on the side of the road, as with
the one or two pot holes that are around the country have the habit of removing
the odd hub cap, this wire is can also be used but it is rather rigid and
springy to bend around the loop former
and some of them are of a different gauge of metal . The other lengths of rods
and whips were also found to be rather stiff to work with and a bit springy, after
a couple of close calls when the rods slipped from my hands and in one case hit
the safety glasses I had on.<br />
<h3>
Time for Tea</h3>
It was then decided that the construction could
wait and it was time to have a cup of tea or two and think of a plan B. During
the tea drinking I was looking for something else and though of some electrical
cable that comes in single strand, but of all the different cables I had none
were single strand, a visit to Tony EI6IK and he had what I needed so after
removing the outer plastic covering I used the electrical cable and wound it
around the former, it started to look like a spring and after enough coils were
wound on it the wire was cut and I had the loops that I needed for the job also
seen in Photo 1 below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4-WOfSMAxtYMJXFHm5ZleHbgSnHOL7JdRxsA4_PO2WbIN7lk8_Zw2znPPJ2Ikm0VUK6sRSwSI0awkzwkBkhK91MfJnvWRJLTqaQLNdnA9i9A3yEPuoy3yETOU3jQMT8yeaojDG1bSVk/s1600/PHOTO+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4-WOfSMAxtYMJXFHm5ZleHbgSnHOL7JdRxsA4_PO2WbIN7lk8_Zw2znPPJ2Ikm0VUK6sRSwSI0awkzwkBkhK91MfJnvWRJLTqaQLNdnA9i9A3yEPuoy3yETOU3jQMT8yeaojDG1bSVk/s400/PHOTO+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The hole cutter partially embedded in a piece of wood for safety </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z2moThU_ZNV6rUQjnzVvL0XEO1nym6yqs6Pe7sAO-6pi34vKfwKzuLo950uCXogA-6nDvuKl3_Jw7VxbNTypySRW8FDbUTn906TSONKAISvkZNQRu_Jh2-ii4le_XWFOunIxw0JjXfU/s1600/PHOTO+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z2moThU_ZNV6rUQjnzVvL0XEO1nym6yqs6Pe7sAO-6pi34vKfwKzuLo950uCXogA-6nDvuKl3_Jw7VxbNTypySRW8FDbUTn906TSONKAISvkZNQRu_Jh2-ii4le_XWFOunIxw0JjXfU/s400/PHOTO+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The elements before tiding up and soldering to bolts</span></td></tr>
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Photo 2 above shows some of the loops as each loop were cut off the
spring like winding and the ends will be tidied up with a file. With the loops
formed you then have to join the ends, this was done by brazing them together; the
brazing was done for me by Kevin EI5JG, the two ends of the loop were joined
together at the same time in the slot of a brass screw that a screwdriver slot
in them. As mentioned earlier this job was extending the length of the aerial,
and as the diameter of each element and their spacing was the same between each
loop from the 5<sup>th</sup> to the 101<sup>st</sup>, whilst the strength of
the new loops may not be the same as the original elements but they are good
enough as they would be only used in a portable setup. A template was made that
would help with marking and drilling the holes..</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Worktop joiner</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">End profile of joiner, in the middle,and the two booms</span></td></tr>
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The template (Photo 3 above left) was made
from a joiner used in joining kitchen worktops together, it has 3 holes in it
from the manufacture one of these holes can be seen by the square drawn around
it, but so far they have not caused any problems. </div>
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In photo 4 above right, you may notice the
joiner has a right angle on one side and a curve on the other side of it, the
curved side will sit perfectly on round boom if I ever have to extend a round
boom aerial. The old and the new extension booms are 16mm x 16mm and were joined by some round
tubing that was held in place by bolts on the original beam and rivets on the
new section, the bolts can be removed easily
both for transporting and for the times that a big aerial is not needed.
The first hole in this template would bolt into the last one of the original
holes and the other holes used to line up, and then to mark (with the aide of a
centre punch) the new holes onto the new piece of boom, and then the template
removed and placed onto the last of the new holes and repeated until all the
holes marked out that are needed. When installing the new elements the head of
the bolt that the loop is brazed to can be held carefully by hand and the loop
held parallel to the other elements while the retaining nut is tightened. I was
lucky that on the second aerial being modded that a hole cutter I had was the
right size.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The new elements </span></td></tr>
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In Photo 5 above you can see both the new elements ready for fitting; since
the modded aerials were made I have used them on a few portable events and have
noticed no difference in Rx and TX signals when I compared them to the factory ones
of the same size.Whilst making the loop elements out of the copper wire I did notice that they were not as strong as the original loops and if the birds decided to rest on them the elements would bend and twist as the birds took off from them, so I decided to use the aerial upside down, it may give a better area for the birds but at least the elements would be okay.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And finally, thanks again to Kevin EI5JG for doing the
brazing for me, and to Tony EI6IK for the element wire.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And may all your signals be P5.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The new boom before being cut to the required length</span></td></tr>
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<br /></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-78166471656957860682012-03-14T15:56:00.002+00:002012-03-31T14:26:54.181+01:00The HX Files 020<br />
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The HX Files 020<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hello and welcome to the X cert 20 of the HX Files.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In this months Echo Ireland I would like to talk about a
permanent /m ATV unit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Although having
made a portable/mobile unit a few months ago, thoughts of that it might be very
handy to have an ATV station semi-permanently setup in the car came to mind,
the system could be left in the car but would be removed if the weather should
turn frosty for a protracted time and that may cause all the smoke to get out if
it was left unused in the winter time and woken up in our summer (around 2
weeks in May). <o:p></o:p></div>
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This transceiver would have to be safe to use with very
little having to be manually adjusted and using as many parts that have an auto
function option. As it is illegal to have a mobile/cell phone in your hand
whilst driving the chances of time in the slammer would be a sure thing if you
had a camcorder, lights and clapper board in your hands, it would be literally
a case of car crash TV for sure. The first job before even starting to build
the transceiver would be the location of the cameras and what type to use,
obviously the smaller the better as you would not them to interfere with you
seeing were you were going, luckily thanks to the parts department the cameras
were found that were needed.</div>
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In photo 1on the left, you can see the cameras that would be
used in the project. The locations of the cameras would be dictated by the safe
routing of the audio, video and DC cables, only one of the cameras was capable
of sound (the camera on the left in photo 1) and its audio line would be
connected straight to the transmitter, and that would mean that it didn't matter what camera was in use as the audio would always be inline. The
camera that had sound would be mounted on the front pillar, and the second
camera would be mounted in the centre of the dashboard as there was a switch
blanking plate as the model of my car had not got a particular optional accessory
fitted (ejector seat), so removing the blanking plate exposed an opening that
was a perfect fit for that camera, the camera had its own mounting bracket and
some of it was used in the cameras installation the most awkward part of that job was making sure that the
cables were well away from the adjustment leavers for the air vents. Next jobs
to plan were the type of enclosure to use for the transceiver be it either a metal
or plastic, and whether to place the transceiver inside the car or on the
outside. The size of the box that was to be used was a bit to big to install in
the car when you think of were all the cables had to be routed, and were it
would not get in the way of operating the car, or any passenger, so outside it
was to be, but were to place it, on the bonnet making it look like an air intake
for the supercharger, or painting it blue and placing it on the roof, so under
the boot but bear the bumper it was to
be, I had to make sure that the box and
the cables were not visible by people from under the car, as they may think
that a box and cables hanging from under a car is something other than an ATV transceiver,(unless
they were my neighbours, as they would be use to seeing strange things sticking
out of my car, and they would be more likely to phone the home for the bewildered and put Pat out of his misery). As my car has
a tow bar fitted and also has some other factory fitted threaded holes for
various other fittings including of course the fact that it is available in left
hand drive for other markets, there would be plenty of places to secure the unit but making sure that it had plenty of
cooling air passing over it. The aerial, an Alford Slot, would not be
permanently mounted on the car so I would be using some good coaxial cable ( Aercil 9) but as short as possible, and I would be using some quick form of
lock / unlock poles and they and the aerial would be left in the car when not
in use. Something else to consider was the monitor I would use to watch the
received signals when I parked.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Having chosen the
metal box the first thing done was to see what type of brackets would have to
be made to attach the unit to the car, once the brackets were fitted to the box
it was coated inside and out, and this would protect it as the box was one of
the die cast aluminium type, and those that have used them without any
protective covering would know that in our climate they could get a bit of a
dusty coating inside and out, and without that protective coating the
conductive dust that formed would / could fall from the inside and possibly short
out the transceiver and let all the smoke out. So after having let the coating
harden for a few days, I covered it with some masking tape so it could be mark
out were I was to drill and also to protect the painted finish as I could
repaint any bare metal that there was after the drilling, cutting and filing.
After laying out the parts (most can be seen in photo 3 below)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top left RX, Top right TX<br />
Bottom left, fan mounted on heat sink,<br />
Bottom right amp mounted to heat sink</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
to see what went were
for the best placement of the parts being used, the first thing done was to put
the amp on the side that would have the most air passing over it and then a
hole slightly smaller than the fan would be cut out of the project box. Not
wanting to just rely on the box as a heat sink, the amp would have its own
fitted, so when I would be parked the transceiver would not get to hot, and also,
fitting a cooling fan that would not mind getting a few splashes from the
puddles that would be driven through, so using a heat sink and attaching it to
the amp and then being placed close to the drilled hole in the project box and
the fan in it also, it will be running cool. When the final place for the unit
was chosen some time was spent on seeing how to run the various cables to it
and how to gain access to the car from the underneath and not let anything in
like water or exhaust gases. So bringing the cable in through the boot of the
car, and the under the rear seats up to the front seats, at that end of the
cable it was terminated into a box, that box would be fed with the DC cable and
the Audio/Video from the camera in use via a switching unit (photo 4 on the left),</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6y60rSEGuHdktk5P7eFEi2n7mqRMDqQPc1GluyXEPznhAOleae7TSNxY9x-MF3mX3EPECkBNhQOMrl8-kzQC7pRJIvvAqUmbo6R_Z3u1bXgYnozkubaL7z9UQSS-BNxQmJhxZvMLHoA/s1600/Photo+4+Audio+video+switch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6y60rSEGuHdktk5P7eFEi2n7mqRMDqQPc1GluyXEPznhAOleae7TSNxY9x-MF3mX3EPECkBNhQOMrl8-kzQC7pRJIvvAqUmbo6R_Z3u1bXgYnozkubaL7z9UQSS-BNxQmJhxZvMLHoA/s320/Photo+4+Audio+video+switch.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Video switching unit</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
also the
box would have cables for the received Audio and Video. The monitor to be used
would have to be a small one and the one I had in mind was a 100mm and it could
be easily stored when not in use in the glove box as I would not be receiving
signals while mobile as that would not be safe or legal. As the amp and other
parts would use around 8 amps, and deciding splicing into the rear wiring loom
would not be an option as the loom would not be able to handle that current and
I did not like the idea of a permanently live cable running the full length of
the car even fitted with fuses from the battery carrying high amps, so I had a
smaller lead from the battery to a connector that would plug into the main termination
box that was fitted inside a storage bin
in the car for music cassettes,( remember them, and the 8-track tapes) and when it was needed the two
ends were connected, a switch on the rear end of the lead was fitted to power on and off the transceiver. Not wanting
to be adjusting anything whilst driving, sometime was spent initially setting
up the cameras as I would not be able to do any adjustments whilst driving, and
using a 50mw transmitter at first was able to monitor the signal myself as well
as sending a signal to Tony EI 4 DIB who could give a live report on the picture from the cameras and the
sound via 2mts , Tony was also able to help fine tune the audio when I used the
full mobile setup on the road as having
another pair of ears and eyes would save me a lot time later on by doing all the major adjustments now and not
after a number of QSO’s, a few tests were also done with the aide of Derek EI 7 CHB from Skerries, in this test I was using
an infrared camera (on the right in photo 1) as this test was at night for a
different view, and as before the infrared
camera was bolted to the towing eye on the front of the car. With all
the tests done and the transceiver bolted in place I will be using it when I am
visiting the local Hams and SWL’ers that have an ATV setup.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYl5Fi9OdKsxEF8_hJU1iXCFJRqdw4go5UuN-LNF7oLhpY1eyod-yeWErKvuHxmsytqWQ3exYuJGlbbA3EfUjKuqSGU_rWLGyXLIPybWkq7aSnKPwzYufI8KAqTXu2aMtqIl5TG7B3XQ/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYl5Fi9OdKsxEF8_hJU1iXCFJRqdw4go5UuN-LNF7oLhpY1eyod-yeWErKvuHxmsytqWQ3exYuJGlbbA3EfUjKuqSGU_rWLGyXLIPybWkq7aSnKPwzYufI8KAqTXu2aMtqIl5TG7B3XQ/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As you can see from
photo 2 on the left, there is not a lot to see from the outside of the car, and I do not
know if I will be 10GHz mobile much of the time, as the dishes I have at the
moment are all the solid type and that would cause some drag a when in use as
it would catch some air, also a Horn type aerial would do the same.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Anyway off to the
funny farm with me for some shock therapy, but before I go, I would like to
again thank Tony and Derek, for helping with the trials and testing and Anthony
EI 2 KC for taking some of the photos.please note the other photos at the bottom of the page also.May all your signals be P5.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">73’s Pat. GA GAGA GA GOO GOO GOO GOO.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgN7o3bcPZtV_j_aK0fSenwn0hAbK8RSAgcHYwLkhfakTsnc4RYQEqNwD-p-fWEAkeeN1xtANXen2hnvgxy9luAzDUTlUKeElSIxb-8roq2IAscOm13V0HL3R9g6sT-KyErJ-LZZ78Fgc/s1600/on+the+way+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgN7o3bcPZtV_j_aK0fSenwn0hAbK8RSAgcHYwLkhfakTsnc4RYQEqNwD-p-fWEAkeeN1xtANXen2hnvgxy9luAzDUTlUKeElSIxb-8roq2IAscOm13V0HL3R9g6sT-KyErJ-LZZ78Fgc/s320/on+the+way+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIO3MAAfBxmtg8QrzWogKvPy6mQkxRqkY3l3RKWgoTInjKTuZROrI99JvVt4CdLHZTgXdQB1tyD-zStEEXOtJ8K0Pdyt_zuQibsdTH-v05tDCm8JXrQRQKgrV10pV1bPcWqZO_jKGyLls/s1600/pillar+cam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIO3MAAfBxmtg8QrzWogKvPy6mQkxRqkY3l3RKWgoTInjKTuZROrI99JvVt4CdLHZTgXdQB1tyD-zStEEXOtJ8K0Pdyt_zuQibsdTH-v05tDCm8JXrQRQKgrV10pV1bPcWqZO_jKGyLls/s640/pillar+cam.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pillar camera</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB98rf_3lTbNH2OB8r_VHo_2rMDncnAI8oMEs1_x8zH90lB-8NzNzVHibVIZyOsYL06d-0Sm-3Cxs_3E3NX4iQ1N2sPSTs3Zw4DboFTAH88QK5s92ap0AqdCCLYaMijsnpugau49ZsXeY/s1600/on+the+way+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB98rf_3lTbNH2OB8r_VHo_2rMDncnAI8oMEs1_x8zH90lB-8NzNzVHibVIZyOsYL06d-0Sm-3Cxs_3E3NX4iQ1N2sPSTs3Zw4DboFTAH88QK5s92ap0AqdCCLYaMijsnpugau49ZsXeY/s320/on+the+way+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the way 2</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8jGOhZd0NddPpSz9RZEBYxZt4R2yL5c_Lu8gFTWDXSuCU7oMHWTUPza39oeyhtSwgQFO2rmGzMJqTC_S4J23V9jyY7vPrXYI4MgJuUFt8anz6nLy6Wb37ZoDJJSsYbTusIW-uatXxWI/s1600/dash+cam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8jGOhZd0NddPpSz9RZEBYxZt4R2yL5c_Lu8gFTWDXSuCU7oMHWTUPza39oeyhtSwgQFO2rmGzMJqTC_S4J23V9jyY7vPrXYI4MgJuUFt8anz6nLy6Wb37ZoDJJSsYbTusIW-uatXxWI/s640/dash+cam.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dash camera</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xI1yDLbB2j6n0z-SXSPITPQfvrUup2IDD9k_Ylnx65YfaqHIyPHnAI0iTqSkyEaRFftd21vF7KOics0EMMOI5AJ17uUwg6NqlTgiiHiMAtRSrCsImSnayzSaaNoTZt3bBbF2d9B6uZc/s1600/on+site+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xI1yDLbB2j6n0z-SXSPITPQfvrUup2IDD9k_Ylnx65YfaqHIyPHnAI0iTqSkyEaRFftd21vF7KOics0EMMOI5AJ17uUwg6NqlTgiiHiMAtRSrCsImSnayzSaaNoTZt3bBbF2d9B6uZc/s640/on+site+1.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">On air</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-27865314565696763722012-02-22T16:56:00.001+00:002012-02-22T16:56:15.841+00:00The HX Files 019<br />
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Hello and welcome to Xtract 19 of the HX Files. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In this Xtract.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A new 23cms
transceiver for the shack.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I would like to
talk about this project that was made for use as a base transceiver; this
project would be a 60 watt ATV transceiver for 23cms. The first thing to do was
to get a project box that was not just big enough, but structurally strong enough, so with safety hat on a
suitable one was dug out of the stores bunker, as well as a suitable heat sink
for the amps. The heat sink was originally an amp for a mobile phone system
that was in the stores bunker for a couple of years, the inside was stripped
out of its components, some of them for the skip, and some for the stores
department, the heat sink was found to be only a couple of mm shorter than the project
box and it was exactly the same height as it. The project box purchased was a
used piece of scraped test equipment with most of the original parts removed
before sale, after looking at the back of the box and at the heat sink that was
going to be used, it was decided to use part of the original back panel (photo 1 below )as this would help with the fitting of the heat sink.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWSBC1e9vn9KmSeiAFG6PaJC4f3z8ApJBLTBHzPqx4qBs345Q8l2keYY-m-zD169BzxT9vv9T0RTWgVBfePFpFbGl3yJHneWyz_JhIzPaSQ2UsjtkVFDDX7LRvfggWaJBv6WpoVYWyrU/s320/photo+1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
After a bit of measuring and marking, a small precision
cutting device was to remove the centre of the panel, (A 100mm angle grinder).
The rest of the panel was lined up with the heat sink and both marked for
drilling some mounting holes. When lining up the panel up with the heat sink
for drilling, care had to be taken that the holes to be drilled would be
between the fins of the heat sink and there would be no need to remove any of
the heat sink. Thanks to a bit of time spent placing the parts and a bit of measuring,
the holes were drilled, they were close, but luckily there was just enough
space to add the washers and nuts. The panel was then removed so that there was
room to place the 2 amps on the heat sink, a couple of paper templates were
made of the mounting holes of the amps to mark out the spots on the heat sink
that were to be drilled but no matter were the templates were positioned the
holes would be over a fin of the heat sink, so as the heat sink was 8mm thick
the holes would be drilled to a depth of 6mm and then be taped. Thanks to
Michael EI 5 GG for the master class in the use of his pillar drill and taps,
and a couple of hours later the job was done. The amps were placed on the heat
sink temporally and were wired up and a few tests carried out making sure they
were giving out their full power, and after 1 hour on transmit the heat sink
was still cool enough and more than likely it would not be transmitting for
that amount of time in one go again. As the heat sink worked so well during the
testing, no fans were to be used in the final design, and with that job done
the back of the unit was refitted to the box. A chassis for mounting all the
various parts that would be used was made from a piece of a scraped metal that
once was the top of and old PC table, this had a couple of benefits as It was
the type that had the perforated top, and the holes could be used for mounting
the various parts, and it would also aid in air circulation. The amp requires a
voltage of 24 volts at 4 amps, but the other parts like the 2 watt driver amp,
the RX/TX boards, relays and various lights, would only need 12 volts to power
them. I was toying with the notion of using 24 and 12 volts from external power
supplies, this would not be a problem as the unit would be a base transceiver,
but to go portable and having to bring a couple of power supplies was not on, so
a 240v AC to 24v DC PSU was fitted into the case (photo 2 below).</div>
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As the PSU had two
separate lines out for 24volts, plan A was to use a voltage regulator I had
that would drop the 24 volts to 13 volts and it would be able to handle 6 amps
which was more than I needed, but I had to go with plan B as I could not find
the amp. So plan B was to use a couple of smaller voltage regulators for each
of the TX/RX boards to take the voltage down to the required volts, the
regulators were mounted on a small heat sink that would keep them like the Fonz
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1etovsLTgNS08FuWE0qOkVN-cpyOPXVGrjnjGcrKWqDVyGO-aF2eXo2BFQG9-faoNlT1OH-cTctYNq07jKKO441D8SGSsH8go_yG-hdCofq0iSwh4fmz7hXJqwGQ3IZpci5t6Uiwj8tU/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1etovsLTgNS08FuWE0qOkVN-cpyOPXVGrjnjGcrKWqDVyGO-aF2eXo2BFQG9-faoNlT1OH-cTctYNq07jKKO441D8SGSsH8go_yG-hdCofq0iSwh4fmz7hXJqwGQ3IZpci5t6Uiwj8tU/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The power supply used was one mentioned in a
previous HX file that was purchased at a rally last year, and the fact it also
had a fan installed to help with it’s cooling was not a bad thing, it has a few
taped mounting holes around it’s body so using a couple of bolts of the same
thread and after measuring it, a couple of holes were drilled in the side of
the unit and the PSU was bolted to it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVedyBX_Olmket6bqy60JC6dOYagNc_JzBiUCnNQFbk0KvCWUvkogPl9WjjSug7Hh5huQt7QDw3wOzPx7MUHyESzVDMZj2I-VXe3Bk0j1Z40wQZLGEu7UQ5QU2_YY4m3_AwdsPxQnzM8M/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVedyBX_Olmket6bqy60JC6dOYagNc_JzBiUCnNQFbk0KvCWUvkogPl9WjjSug7Hh5huQt7QDw3wOzPx7MUHyESzVDMZj2I-VXe3Bk0j1Z40wQZLGEu7UQ5QU2_YY4m3_AwdsPxQnzM8M/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The PSU was placed on its side (photo 4)
as doing this would leave more room in the box for the other parts. The TX/ RX
boards, preamp, coaxial relay and the other parts were dry fitted in various
locations until I was happy with the layout.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"> Another benefit of having a
perforated chassis meant I would be able to hide some of the cables, the holes
could be made wider with a reamer and you could install grommets in the holes
if needed so you would be left with smooth edges and not run the risk of any of
the leads chaffing. The front panel was cut from a piece of an old aluminium
sign, the panel would be strong as it is 3mm thick, and the it would be 312mm
wide and a height of 105mm, that’s around 12”x4” in old money. The metal sign
that was to be used for the front panel, was not in great condition as it had a
few marks and scratches on it, so when all the drilling is finished, some
sticky back plastic (well if its good enough for Blue Peter then its good
enough for me) would be used, as it comes in various colours and finishes. But
before all that the first thing to do was to try a couple of designs to see
what want were, after the final design was chosen it was held onto the front </span><span style="text-align: left;">panel
with masking tape (photo 5 below </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The drill points marked with a punch, and after a
bit of care the holes were drilled first using a 3mm drill bit and then
finished off with the right size drill bits, and with the use of a file and a
reamer the panel was finished, the parts were fitted on the panel and then
removed to be able to apply the plastic covering. </span></div>
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As you can see in photo 6 on the left,the finished front
panel with all the fittings installed. Having the back panel free of any
fittings would mean that the transceiver could be placed close to the shack
wall, and due to the tests carried out earlier, (it not needing any cooling
fan(s), and with the carrying handles it would also mean some type of
protection for the front panel. As I mentioned earlier this project would be a
base unit, but if I did decide to go /P with it I would need a DC to AC
converter to take the 12 volts DC to 240 volts, and as I did not want to bring
a generator. That’s it for this issue of Echo Ireland, and if you would like to
see other pictures of the build you can go to my blog, thehxfiles.blogspot.com.. Below is some more photos of the build.</div>
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And finally, that may all your signals be P5. 73’s
Pat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early layout</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final parts layout</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiax1Joh74jSyBs_OPC3YbYzHaQFH1eZHs51qaFsuEv1SgeThDikm7NJqbjt5NbVj632JbsGcWDEXfsxJTKciQtLrRGKxLW-ZNpNBboPT6rczUibVM_0iG1j3Fq_leUHJFViAQzKWJYIZ0/s1600/17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiax1Joh74jSyBs_OPC3YbYzHaQFH1eZHs51qaFsuEv1SgeThDikm7NJqbjt5NbVj632JbsGcWDEXfsxJTKciQtLrRGKxLW-ZNpNBboPT6rczUibVM_0iG1j3Fq_leUHJFViAQzKWJYIZ0/s320/17.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some tidying up left to do</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-49480109137459790212011-12-03T22:07:00.000+00:002011-12-03T22:07:36.983+00:00The HX Files Xtract 018<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to xtract 018m of the HX Files</span>.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this issue a 20 watt transmitter with a built in receiver.</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This project would be a unit that would be, not to make little of It, a spare transmitter and receiver, and instead of it being left at home, it was to be brought with the main portable transceiver (see photo I below)</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGoJi3CUaCrtg1JCfUMg6OvQkwLy-TfE_wLI-wH10cPKqHwq6qFoX8att1kSUtqfegxMv0uo1K8RWJV7AmAlYvntPTJDxgSAkacOL_wk60-avG-8LJWMKIIL7h5yVI0yWJI20ZeCGs-c/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGoJi3CUaCrtg1JCfUMg6OvQkwLy-TfE_wLI-wH10cPKqHwq6qFoX8att1kSUtqfegxMv0uo1K8RWJV7AmAlYvntPTJDxgSAkacOL_wk60-avG-8LJWMKIIL7h5yVI0yWJI20ZeCGs-c/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture 1,<br />
Photo of main rig<br />
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">just in case anything happened to the main transmitter or receiver. It would be setup as a transmitter, so if needed it could be used straight away. The receiver could be switched on while the TX was on, but as they have their own aerial sockets I could monitor the TX signal without an aerial being connected to the receive socket. There was a plan A or B at the start, I had thought of plan B of making It a transceiver, and by simply adding a coaxial relay, TX/RX switch, a couple of phono sockets and patch leads it could be done, but I wanted to make this spare as a backup transmitter and to keep it as such, so I will carry on and build it as plan A and leave plan B for some time in the future.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The case for this project started life as a 100 watt 2m amplifier, and no, it was not converted to 23cms, it was however converted to junk by its previous owner. I did not ask how he let all the smoke out, but I was told that it was beyond repair, so as the whole amplifier was a large heat sink and would be very handy to have, a deal was done and it was placed into the stores, and there the amp rested for a couple of years awaiting a renaissance. (Wow that was deep, it must be Christmas). </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first thing I done was to remove the old circuit board and switches, (I forgot to take a photo), with that done the original front and rear panels were use to mark out the holes for the new panels, including a new bottom one, but before any cutting out was to be done to the panels I had to place the other parts on the heat sink to give me an idea on were to drill to attach the amp, transmitter and the receiver.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> In photo 2 on the right, you can see the front panel as a blank on the top, and on the bottom with the holes for the various switches, led’s and a couple of carrying handles that would also act as a guard to protect the front. In photo 3 below left, you can see the parts laid out out in their final position with some of the wiring done, the amp top right and the 50mw driver on the left, the receiver is on the bottom right, also seen is some connecting patch leads. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The amp has </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">some pre drilled holes in its own mounting plate and that with the bonding of the amp to the larger heat sink; the amp was finally attached by marking and drilling straight through the heat sink and using some stainless steel nuts and bolts. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJv-luBf3kJAPtNemXlvBjwRocGEhXuTVrvOONX5uSCeZa2GYmciMhqK5IYC3IKojTVRxEbecV5upXlWQLxfanGl_D1MvNKh2SEYtoIoJH0PaddWYuekaHcbaRHYtoqTNi-J2nyGTeT0w/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJv-luBf3kJAPtNemXlvBjwRocGEhXuTVrvOONX5uSCeZa2GYmciMhqK5IYC3IKojTVRxEbecV5upXlWQLxfanGl_D1MvNKh2SEYtoIoJH0PaddWYuekaHcbaRHYtoqTNi-J2nyGTeT0w/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photo 4 on the left shows the back panel with the amp N type socket on the left, you may notice that the two N sockets are different, one been the fitted socket on the amp and the other one a panel mount N to SMA, I was not going to remove the n type fitting from the amp and attach it to the panel via a small lead or adaptor, so not wanting to remove the N type,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a couple of small pieces of the panel was cut out so it would fit around<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the sockets, and as I had not got the harder files to work on the steel , I can make a new and better rear panel. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZuQ5ktRa6rDHiRCFhS3Z_YKTfJ4bmkEBMYDpfCirntaNI0I_a5a3PgDkpDMnIxEydbpQWSdIw5sljDWRLez87JPIMfckygFoGRnncD7lpRgdeXwLKreWaFot9vXzXUzTr0VgGQuN4us/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZuQ5ktRa6rDHiRCFhS3Z_YKTfJ4bmkEBMYDpfCirntaNI0I_a5a3PgDkpDMnIxEydbpQWSdIw5sljDWRLez87JPIMfckygFoGRnncD7lpRgdeXwLKreWaFot9vXzXUzTr0VgGQuN4us/s320/photo+5.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photo 5 on the left is a picture of the almost finished front panel; the 3 switches are for the 20 watt amp on/off, the receiver, and the DC on/off. The switches and led’s will be marked out by the labelling machine when I find it. The 6 led’s are used for the following, the DC power, amp on/off, TX on/off, RX on/off, the amp has a feature that has a DC monitor voltage that can also be used to indicate if the amp is on so I will use that one as well, and not ruling out a time in the future that the unit could be turned into a transceiver I had a spare led for displaying the relay. In photo 5 the finished front can be seen installed on the heat sink, the keen (Hungary) eye amongst you may have noticed that the led’s seem to white, but when the voltage is applied to them some of them light red and the rest green. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That is all for this Xtract of the HX Files, and indeed for 2011, I would like to thank you for the kind words when I met you at the rallies over the year, so with that, I wish you a very Happy Christmas, and a prosperous, and P45 free 2012.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May all your signals be P5.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">73’s</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pat.</span></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-22053294338815969472011-11-08T01:36:00.000+00:002011-11-08T01:36:01.753+00:00the HX Files 017<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The HX files 017.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello and welcome to Xtract 017 of the HX Files.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this issue.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Photos, of a 10GHz RX and 23cms TX, operating /p on 1296GHz SSB</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and Goodies from Friedrichshafen.</span><br />
<span class="Heading1Char"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #365f91;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"> <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last time in the HX Files.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I mentioned about building the opposite</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> of what was built, (23cms RX and 10GHz TX)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnSnlhmvevZkw-1Vz3WRbFGYYARDCfWlLv5gtI6da3XE9hDn7A57ph-kfhh4NslTT4FUidlMUN7vJa3qB2Q7_JJK_1KpKvTrGivWtXd3rR1vx6-t3dJmKV6ztEt239a8NmaEcPeCAjm8/s1600/PHOTO+1+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnSnlhmvevZkw-1Vz3WRbFGYYARDCfWlLv5gtI6da3XE9hDn7A57ph-kfhh4NslTT4FUidlMUN7vJa3qB2Q7_JJK_1KpKvTrGivWtXd3rR1vx6-t3dJmKV6ztEt239a8NmaEcPeCAjm8/s320/PHOTO+1+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This time it would be 10GHz RX, and 23cms TX. You can see in photo 1 on the left the setup, with the23cms TX on the botom right and surprise surprise, the 10 GHz RX on the top left. The 10 GHz RX is a modified LNB, not the normal Sky type but one that is finished in wave guide. The aerials used were the same as the other unit, a slot for 23cms and a Horn type for 10GHz. The unit for the time been would be finished with N type fittings and I would use some adapters like the last time so I could use different types of aerials, I know that using any adapters would cause some power loss but I was not worried by this as I was not making a DX Beacon I was only going to use it from the bottom of my garden which is around 17mts long. The aerial for the 1.2GHz is a dummy load that can be seen in photo 2 below eft.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPJ1fqK9WoQCiwqBsQKtlTVf5EIZ6N1NQXTP4qyUcchwwbzHmo2xkQmf02pE_qNFR5DTLSs6OzEnNfyPuPOsJ09WOe2kTTUv_o4hmaU_6dLsN6rnEeW41VouqY89XLwckcz5CoAKBhvc/s1600/PHOTO+2+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPJ1fqK9WoQCiwqBsQKtlTVf5EIZ6N1NQXTP4qyUcchwwbzHmo2xkQmf02pE_qNFR5DTLSs6OzEnNfyPuPOsJ09WOe2kTTUv_o4hmaU_6dLsN6rnEeW41VouqY89XLwckcz5CoAKBhvc/s320/PHOTO+2+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I found that this aerial was good enough to do the job of reaching me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This TX/RX would be easy (ish) to build in the small box like the last one, but unlike it this unit would not be the handy portable or demo unit as the kit would also involve an analogue satellite RX. So the signal would picked up by the RX aerial first and then via the transition to the LNB, and then down to the Sat RX and then back up to the 23cms TX, the cables used would be some coaxial cable from the LNB to the Sat RX, and from the Sat RX the audio and video would be sent up some phono leads to the 23cms TX, and a DC lead for the TX. The marking out and drilling of the box would not be too much of a struggle as the holes I needed were near to the sizes I had drill bits for and would only involve having to do a minimal amount of filing and run the risk of oval holes, I don’t have a large enough reamer for the job but the files would do as long as I took my time as the box was very easy to file and the holes could get bigger all to quick. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oops.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made a chassis template from a cereal box first and then I would<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>transferred it on to a piece of clear Perspex and then drill out the holes and file the corners for a better fit, but on drilling the second last hole in the Perspex it cracked and snapped in two, and that was followed by words like gosh darn and blast which could be heard coming from the machine shop (the kitchen) I had no more of the Perspex so I used some hardboard instead, but this chassis would only be for testing and would not be a permanent solution as the hardboard would attract moisture and not only fall apart but short out the equipment as I did not use big spacers and if<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the chassis did warp it would short out the TX board<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and that would not be a good thing. When I was marking out the box I was wondering how to install the LNB, I noticed that at the F connector was at the back of the LNB and that its retaining nut was on the outside, which meant the nut could be used to hold the LNB firmly to the project box and by using the waveguide to SMA adapter and a SMA to N type that was chassis mount would hold the other end and as you may have notice in photo 3 below left, the F and N terminals are close together. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrNpLBZyQA0qIrvOMVloDZQfJbfEBRKfEXa4qmmtSyYfVOXc1W1p588rVK9chrxsgabFnmelTDFCon0x8uoLtP3yNFFmzIiZ4BIXDP0Z1nNQIpEzcYPxP2KiEfAGDXI0z0Rhd0pZPXVY/s1600/PHOTO+3+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrNpLBZyQA0qIrvOMVloDZQfJbfEBRKfEXa4qmmtSyYfVOXc1W1p588rVK9chrxsgabFnmelTDFCon0x8uoLtP3yNFFmzIiZ4BIXDP0Z1nNQIpEzcYPxP2KiEfAGDXI0z0Rhd0pZPXVY/s320/PHOTO+3+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some UHF Qso’s.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had a few SSB contacts on 1.2GHz; yes I took some time away from ATV (WHAT!!!) I went /P with Dundalk Amateur Radio Society (EI 7 DAR ) who took part in the VHF/UHF Field day that took place on the weekend of the 2<sup>nd </sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and 3<sup>rd</sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of July. For the 1.2 GHz part of the field day, EI 7 DAR/P was manned by myself and Mark EI 9 FX, and we were using an Icom 910 (2m, 70cms and 23cms), and a 35 element Tonna. Most of the contacts on 23 cms were on the Saturday, and we only heard the same stations again on the Sunday, other members of EI 7 DAR were on 6m,4m and 2meters, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the 2m crew scored well, they used the callsign EI 0 W/P, anyway enough of that mode.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmItpiSCMAqan5mU70VAWC7vnrWX1VqLsrWxCd52VASz0aLZNaHKgbHACdq-JpS8OTl6BrgUsZ4ykp9ClqaEmKE-OBJx-37IxbjTGQCOw94DS5AKxvlru_9Gth3SYiExIdf6z5yJVC2-o/s1600/PHOTO+4+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmItpiSCMAqan5mU70VAWC7vnrWX1VqLsrWxCd52VASz0aLZNaHKgbHACdq-JpS8OTl6BrgUsZ4ykp9ClqaEmKE-OBJx-37IxbjTGQCOw94DS5AKxvlru_9Gth3SYiExIdf6z5yJVC2-o/s320/PHOTO+4+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Friedrichshafen Rally.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rally was a good one, although the stalls were down the stuff was there, and even if you are a youngster (a pup) or a senior citizen (a grave dodger) you could have bought everything from a microphone to an aerial, and all in-between. At the rally I purchased a few goodies for 23cms and 10 GHz. The biggest was a 60 watt amp for 23cms, and a 2 watt amp to act as a driver for the 60 watt. The QRO amp uses 28 volts+/-, so a 24 volt PSU was also purchased and the one I bought had a adjustment pot fitted to the front, and under test the no load voltage was 27.8 volts and under load (a couple of 12 volt car headlight bulbs in series) dropped this to 27.5 volts and this was well within the amps parameters so I should be getting very close to full power when driven by the 2 watts. I will have to dig deep into the stock piles to look for a suitable project box. I hope to have the unit built soon and have it in the HX files in a couple of issues time if all goes to plan, and the plan is to build it primarily as a base unit, but I could use it /p. even if the main power for the transceiver is 24 volts, I would use an inverter to convert the DC power up to mains voltage, or you could purchase one of the small Lidl/Aldi generators.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That is it for this issue of Echo Ireland, see you next time and may all your reports be P5.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">73’s Pat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-30328518511229413382011-07-07T18:16:00.000+01:002011-07-07T18:16:36.263+01:00The HX Files 016.<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello and welcome to Xtract 16 of the HX Files.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some brain storming.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During a tea drinking session with Tony (EI 4 DIB) one topic that came up was what to do when you want to test a receiver or a transmitter and there is nobody around to receive a signal from or indeed to send one to.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So not living on top of a mountain I would have no DX stations to lookout for, so the talk came around to a project consisting of a receiver on one band and a transmitter on another. So after more tea (and a visit to the bathroom)</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it was decided that a visit to a couple of my stock locations was called for, to see what parts I had that could be used and would not run the risk of been used for another project.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A Hunting I will go.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a couple of hours hunting for the parts in my stock stash’s, (shed number 2 and under the bed) and a spot of stocktaking, I decided that a 1.2 GHz receiver and a 10 GHz transmitter would be the frequencies of choice.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUlrHPkL4GGQ6z3xnHeg55hhu_eB5qRI-oWbApVb7WODpz4kN7C6keyt2txzyV_KKdHYp_tR38pKuxD4RQ6Xduq3Xd7N32TWAS_2GxEChn2GrFxR6zezQ9b7nyhkQhuhSg-o9pDww3TU/s1600/photo+1+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUlrHPkL4GGQ6z3xnHeg55hhu_eB5qRI-oWbApVb7WODpz4kN7C6keyt2txzyV_KKdHYp_tR38pKuxD4RQ6Xduq3Xd7N32TWAS_2GxEChn2GrFxR6zezQ9b7nyhkQhuhSg-o9pDww3TU/s320/photo+1+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> In photo 1 above, with the exceptions of some phono and DC power leads, you can see the parts that would be used in the project. The finished project would be used to receive a 1.2 GHz signal and then that signal would be re-transmitted on 10 GHz. The receiver’s audio and video signal would go direct from the 1.2 GHz to the audio/video inputs of the 10GHz transmitter. The project box used is one of the waterproof ABS type so that I would have piece of mind when or if it ever rained The first thing I done was to do a parts layout in the box to see what would go were, not just the TX and RX, but smaller parts like the cables use for carrying the voltage, audio and video, a DC distribution bar, fuse holders and aerial sockets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mounting hardware was bolted through the box and a good quality sealer used to prevent water ingress. A sub chassis was used to secure the various parts so that if I had work on the unit it could be removed easily (ish). So after some measuring and marking (photo 2 below) I cut an opening in one of the side of the box, this opening is the size of the aperture of the solfen head .I would attach the 10GHz on one end of the box and the N type socket on the opposite end of the same size.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFaiHuCGZFvfpzr2oiYebzj1UkWnO2BZmEk8D3rhswzrOgJkVgSpFB36ClAdNB6xDenlyzH4z8XO0xmOoxLIlcvzqs_APrfSUgkqp9flB8vDmy3PcQc00mSyw_c_yvnxXtSKfYtlGhcs/s1600/marking+out+and+tools+photo+2+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFaiHuCGZFvfpzr2oiYebzj1UkWnO2BZmEk8D3rhswzrOgJkVgSpFB36ClAdNB6xDenlyzH4z8XO0xmOoxLIlcvzqs_APrfSUgkqp9flB8vDmy3PcQc00mSyw_c_yvnxXtSKfYtlGhcs/s320/marking+out+and+tools+photo+2+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I attached the solfen head to the inside of the box and a small extension piece of waveguide that can be seen in photo 1, with that piece having one flange with threaded holes and the other without the thread . I screwed the unthreaded end to the solfen head and the other end of the extension with the thread would be a lot easier than using small nuts and bolts. I could also quickly attach and remove various aerials for testing and some other fittings, such as a slot aerial, a horn type aerial, even a transition from waveguide to a SMA or N type and most importantly, some attenuators to minimize the RF output, so I would get a better test from a weak signal as what was the point of putting out a QRO signal when QRPP was what I wanted to test the receiver’s, and also, I did not want to “nuke” myself. It would be attached to the fence at the bottom of my garden about 53ft from the shack with some attenuators fitted. If I decided to use this project out and about portable it would not be a big deal to undo it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photo 3 below shows the unit before the spaghetti ( the wiring) was added.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgsqV_OOpcZMbwmyYFAscvhABibTdbCiSTECrcn7NgaoUxxF2C5WPTultnQZWcIFE-xkxnxiFaOZj0Mi3MRyTDoYLNQzITsHjeyJpAhGXQ7QSZeuwBYoeeK822mLlcMg4KWApZ0WeMGI/s1600/photo+3+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgsqV_OOpcZMbwmyYFAscvhABibTdbCiSTECrcn7NgaoUxxF2C5WPTultnQZWcIFE-xkxnxiFaOZj0Mi3MRyTDoYLNQzITsHjeyJpAhGXQ7QSZeuwBYoeeK822mLlcMg4KWApZ0WeMGI/s320/photo+3+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> photo 4 below,shows the aerials I would use when the unit was up and running ,the aerial on top is a 23cms slot aerial that is covered with heat shrink, on the bottom left of the picture is a slot aerial and on the right is a horn type aerial both for<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10GHz.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fdVHRbwtTGpL0eVTk_T1sclbzPJ9dlQd4BWOEdNfs-H6Uh4Iq9BF_DVY7iDWR01mlblwpV4Lc_fwDm7d2yLuSJFLBeljgKS71w-RhLAQLfSEBM_MqSsvYz7tMCp2q6kd6QxASQMaMZw/s1600/photo+4+b+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fdVHRbwtTGpL0eVTk_T1sclbzPJ9dlQd4BWOEdNfs-H6Uh4Iq9BF_DVY7iDWR01mlblwpV4Lc_fwDm7d2yLuSJFLBeljgKS71w-RhLAQLfSEBM_MqSsvYz7tMCp2q6kd6QxASQMaMZw/s320/photo+4+b+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Testing, Testing.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tony’s back garden is 100ft long and it was used for some testing of the finished unit, using a rubber duck type aerial with an adapter for the receiving the 1.2GHz signal and the slot aerial for10 GHz. So using a 1.2 GHZ TX, and a modified LNB and an analogue satellite receiver for 10 GHz receiving, the testing was carried out and all went well,</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With all the test carried out and passed, the kettle was put on and the tea drank, later on that night at home I decided to make a mod to the unit, I used 2 long leads, one end of each lead was joined to each of the rx/tx units and those leads were joined by a back to back phono plug joiners. The reason for this was that if I brought it to another ham’s shack the system would be mounted on their mast and with the joiner inside their shack the operator could remove the joiner and connect a camera and then he or she would be transmitting on 10GHz, also by connecting a TV on the other lead you would be receiving 1.2GHz. Not exactly what one would call hi-tech, but it works and it may also get another ham onto the microwave bands and that has to be a good thing. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As a result of the testing of this project I decided to make one the other way around 1.2 GHZ TX and 10 GHz RX. I will have some photos of that next time.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s all for this Xtract, and I hope all your signals are P5.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">73’s Pat.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;"></span></span></div></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-54188885535125726612011-04-27T15:32:00.000+01:002011-04-27T15:47:18.326+01:00The HX Files Xcert 015<div style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello and welcome to x-tract 15 from the HX-Files.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Firstly</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was delighted to meet and thank the few brave people who came up to me at both the Coolmine rally, and at the I.R.T.S. AGM in Limerick and freely admitted, that they read and enjoyed the HX-Files, so to them again I say thank you.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1IawaIZPXiuU4guYCZzMvmSxdvkIFxhBsdTt80JSeSDpGLLtsfOHqSkYgx1DJN4RBFlYEw3jhDFlTGhzDj0saBzmz90xem8pUpBSfeKiUhzEfDDVcrvxSGZNuukLTWRcLuZBiS55VyY/s1600/I.R.T.S.++Folan+Sheild.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1IawaIZPXiuU4guYCZzMvmSxdvkIFxhBsdTt80JSeSDpGLLtsfOHqSkYgx1DJN4RBFlYEw3jhDFlTGhzDj0saBzmz90xem8pUpBSfeKiUhzEfDDVcrvxSGZNuukLTWRcLuZBiS55VyY/s320/I.R.T.S.++Folan+Sheild.JPG" width="240px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">M E Folan Shield<br />
and winning project.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin Freeney Shield<br />
and winning project</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hP4zT_rg2ADzDiAlMRMdP4WQyMJX-T7QnYwbHGCg6VTOO3t3j_28F_loDqaZiCEsPc1X2kmTUShMhtqvy3isDZ_XZmcPmcWHkcnR07htZ3K0WCbq2YdzX_p6dJfCu4z_-Ww1ZkXkgn8/s1600/Freeny+Shield+50mw+23cms+TXRX.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hP4zT_rg2ADzDiAlMRMdP4WQyMJX-T7QnYwbHGCg6VTOO3t3j_28F_loDqaZiCEsPc1X2kmTUShMhtqvy3isDZ_XZmcPmcWHkcnR07htZ3K0WCbq2YdzX_p6dJfCu4z_-Ww1ZkXkgn8/s320/Freeny+Shield+50mw+23cms+TXRX.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Secondly, I was delighted to be awarded two excellent trophies for construction, the M E Folan shield (EI 6 E), and the Kevin Freeney shield (EI 9 BMB) at the I.R.T.S.AGM in Limerick on the 27<sup>th</sup> of March. I was, like some of you dear readers a bit reluctant to submit anything but after a bit of prompting I decided to enter a couple of items and was delighted to be awarded the I.R.T.S. shields, so I say to you don’t be shy, your friends will tell you what they think of it, as you can be your own worst judge on your own work, so go on and submit your construction project for the AGM in 2012, you never know what may happen, and don’t forget that the magic word in constructing your project is “prototype”, so it does not have to be ready for mass production, but it has to be safe and tidy, and most importantly it has to do what it says on the tin, so see you at the awards table at the I.R.T.S. AGM next year. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaIPnQfhBbumVDxQWpVjMgZ8jjUYMMh2qTRfQR3n8JsJw8hUXDCX8vv_crz7-1FjNBTaQx9fVHWLblp2M3hRifpQrAs02rK_vvLHWaJ84VpyRL2F3ltnKzW-3vKwbl9SWqYASa7C9T0Y/s1600/bottom+of+mast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaIPnQfhBbumVDxQWpVjMgZ8jjUYMMh2qTRfQR3n8JsJw8hUXDCX8vv_crz7-1FjNBTaQx9fVHWLblp2M3hRifpQrAs02rK_vvLHWaJ84VpyRL2F3ltnKzW-3vKwbl9SWqYASa7C9T0Y/s320/bottom+of+mast.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next project for/m or /p.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawRXe2Zt3bAjVgEEaCgvT_42hgeQ9KaOAsySY60xdnoSjBrFo2sOQ540IKAx82DsZ9qq-Zl7rj1_D-PQOr1MNIjmILxtuN_Qc_ykgifPEZ93PFd8nC0OGUkj7i1qMW3f2eyRBYcEghmM/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawRXe2Zt3bAjVgEEaCgvT_42hgeQ9KaOAsySY60xdnoSjBrFo2sOQ540IKAx82DsZ9qq-Zl7rj1_D-PQOr1MNIjmILxtuN_Qc_ykgifPEZ93PFd8nC0OGUkj7i1qMW3f2eyRBYcEghmM/s320/IMG_0302.JPG" width="212px" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I decided to build a new mast for mobile/portable setup this year. This one would be used mainly for the short sessions when I was only going to setup a station for a couple of hours, and as I have a couple of /p masts a 10m and a 8m one that has yet to see the light of day (and no it is not for sale) that would be used for some of the longer outings and for bigger aerials. I have often been told that you don’t need a huge mast if you are going /p on top of a mountain, so with that in mind this setup would not be a big mast but a small and handy one, if I can use the term “mast” describing an 8ft setup, (that’s 2.44m in new money) this project would involve the mast mounted onto a bracket, and this in turn would be attached onto the tow bar of the car. I did see some types of hardware that could be modified and used for what I needed, but as with most things you need for a /m or /p station you can never get the finished part you need and you would have to adapt and even destroy a brand new item by cutting and wielding it to get it to do what you want it to do. So after a talk with Kevin EI 5 JG, we decided that he would make what I needed from scratch. After trying various sizes of pipe both round and square we ended up with the idea of using a piece of channeling (or a U bar as some call it) and a piece of metal plate. Before the metal plate was wielded to the U piece a 25mm hole was drilled in it, a 15mm hole was drilled in the U piece, and a nut wielded over the drilled hole, and then a piece of round bar was wielded onto the matching bolt giving it a T bar look, and this in turn would act as a permanently attached spanner, a 30cm length of tubing will be used for giving it an extra bit of tension. The reason for the 25mm hole was, as the bolt is been tighten on the other side of the box the ball of the tow bar would be pushed partially into the hole and this would act as extra friction and help with stability.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVldB0DjMtuVi619ExSzv8tgFofq0SvUtUJbfn0Jw6i1sAHrCgpj5F8RUdpNoaDPiYFDRVumjD8kcwpzZ3Enaq_cvu1WjuWcdtMvZKwF8Kphf2pwomJ9S0ncImOwlPi3XHm-GgU-3Lfc/s1600/top+of+mast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVldB0DjMtuVi619ExSzv8tgFofq0SvUtUJbfn0Jw6i1sAHrCgpj5F8RUdpNoaDPiYFDRVumjD8kcwpzZ3Enaq_cvu1WjuWcdtMvZKwF8Kphf2pwomJ9S0ncImOwlPi3XHm-GgU-3Lfc/s320/top+of+mast.JPG" width="320px" /></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Part of the original bracket on the bottom of the mast was wielded to the box and re attached to the mast by its original screws and some large rivets. The top of the mast has some sort of clip on it, this was removed by undoing its retaing screws and a copy of the top was made as this would be used to make a small stub mast that would be attached to an aerial and some matching holes drilled in to line up with the mast top, so it could be attached to the top of the mast. The original top will be placed in the stores shed along with the remaining part of the bottom piece (never to be seen again no doubt). If my car was parked on uneven ground the mast could be tilted vertically by undoing the bolt with one hand and holding onto the mast with the other hand. I would use a small spirit level to give me the vertical line, and if needed I could also use the roof rack on the car and its end clamps to tie some rope to act as stays if the weather conditions were to get a bit windy. I made up a little kit bag to keep with the mast, a disc (on the mast) that goes over the top of the mast and comes to rest at the half way point of the mast and the stays could be attached to that, 2 small pegs, some stay rope, and a persuader. In the pictures you can see the finished mast with the 35el beam for 23cms on the top and under it a 10GHz setup that includes the dish and a 50mw transmitter housed in the box bolted onto it. I hope by the time you read this that the new setup has done a few trials and it may have had some tweaks carried out on it, this seems to be par for the course for home builders.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s all for now, see you all next time and may all your reports be P5.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">73’s Pat.</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-52367208331571998302011-04-10T01:22:00.000+01:002011-04-10T01:22:41.867+01:00NEW AMP WINS PRESTIGIOUS I.R.T.S. AWARD<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My new amp project won one of the I.R.T.S.'s construstion award at their recent AGM in Limerick,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which was hosted by the Limerick radio club.</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My project was awarded the Folan Shield.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The award gets its name from </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Professor Enda Folan EI6W, who was President of the Irish Radio Transmitter Society from 1958 to 1960, EI 6 W presented this shield to the Society. It is awarded for home constructed equipment built to the highest standard and a technical write-up including the specification of the item is required. The shield was first presented in 1959 to T.J. McCrossan EI7A. </span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the picture</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">s below you will see the award and the amp.</span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I was also awarded the Kevin Freeny Trophy</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Fingal and North Dublin Radio Clubs donated this trophy to the Society in memory of the late Kevin Freeny EI9BMB. The trophy is awarded for proficiency in equipment construction. It was first awarded in 1988 to Dave Redmond EI2GB.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is some pictures of this award and project.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">73's </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Pat EI 2 HX.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-29320155592494954842011-03-03T00:13:00.000+00:002011-03-03T00:14:38.321+00:00New Amp 006, Finished at last.<span style="font-size: large;">Hello and welcome to the final part of the "new amp" project </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">?.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sorry for in the delay in posting the final part of the new amp.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since the last update to the Blog, the transceiver has been up and running for a couple of weeks.</span><br />
As I mensioned in a previous Blog Post, I had left the rig running for up to half an hour at times and in some cases a full hour,the unit would never be transmitting for such a long period in real life, but it is good to know that your project is up for the job.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">These trials would show up any faults weither in the design or soldering,and at home on the test bench not on a hill miles away. The RF power was put into a dummy load with the fans running on the rig,the heatsink was warm at most after the hour. It was hot hot hot after 20 minutes with no fans running but still less than the manufactures maximum recomended temperature,thanks to the large heat simk.<br />
Strange as it may sound, I also brought it with me in the car even when it was not compleat just to see how it held together and if any parts would vibrate,as I would be using it /m as well as /p when it was finished. I needed to know the build quality and that the project would not shake apart.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWgPIrv6x5_TeH4t4UPuIOH83sLkXEoNg7MA4LmVVStyyT3MP9q0kkoiQnSQPfLBi3RFJ1VQvJS4lNNhtpB5PoXA-joEIhG6IvMtrpFM33B94DV18QQtPzSAIO_lAOoHtmmkCHqKV4K8/s1600/IMG_0192+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWgPIrv6x5_TeH4t4UPuIOH83sLkXEoNg7MA4LmVVStyyT3MP9q0kkoiQnSQPfLBi3RFJ1VQvJS4lNNhtpB5PoXA-joEIhG6IvMtrpFM33B94DV18QQtPzSAIO_lAOoHtmmkCHqKV4K8/s320/IMG_0192+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>In photo1on the left,you can see a small audio amplifier,this was needed as the output from the monitor was very low and no sound could be heard from the speaker I installed in the front of the unit.There was plenty of audio when I used some headphones, but this would not be ideal if Iwas<br />
giving a demo with the unit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyFRDXlVWAJ3c-2dNdwozDRIp3MrQcNt_BznhEpYCx1_CmYiwdGs707UJ4JSGW4WM_kNom9aniOmmSrLTl-zo3dmk_cuHkdMMQe-3YVrmpTMNaZsvpzlaIwSeF7GKz2MwZ8O2CdG9jWI/s1600/23cms+preamps+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyFRDXlVWAJ3c-2dNdwozDRIp3MrQcNt_BznhEpYCx1_CmYiwdGs707UJ4JSGW4WM_kNom9aniOmmSrLTl-zo3dmk_cuHkdMMQe-3YVrmpTMNaZsvpzlaIwSeF7GKz2MwZ8O2CdG9jWI/s320/23cms+preamps+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">23cms preamps</td></tr>
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</div>In photo2 on the left, you can see a couple of Preamps (35db on left an 30db on right) one of these will help with the rx when I install it later.<br />
As you can see there is a differents in the size of the preamps, and indeed the same can be said about the coaxal relays that can be seen in photo 3 below,and in photo 4 below that.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">N type relays</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtKwNW0HEFfal0_13zbByIo66w5BSux5-HdxV2bHOXZoZIp3hAneDNM4w9JDaH8J-e45wOE-QUDyuFy0PPT84Zk_Y6NegrwxWoCd9s7__ll1Ikqo5qeSBMyQEKmn88hiTQwW4QlAPoTk/s1600/SMA+type+relays+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtKwNW0HEFfal0_13zbByIo66w5BSux5-HdxV2bHOXZoZIp3hAneDNM4w9JDaH8J-e45wOE-QUDyuFy0PPT84Zk_Y6NegrwxWoCd9s7__ll1Ikqo5qeSBMyQEKmn88hiTQwW4QlAPoTk/s320/SMA+type+relays+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SMA relays</td></tr>
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When it is been installed I will also be replacing the relay for a 4/5 pole type.With this relay I will be able to bypass the preamp and use it when required.As I said this will be done when the unit has a few hours of work done as /p and at QTHR.</div>In the photos you can see the new parts to be installed. I dont know what to do when it comes to trying to hide the connecting dc cables and coaxal cables.Who knows what amp mk2 will be like,maybe I will install a sub chasis made of a non conductive material, pcb board,or a plastic chopping board would be a good choice, and they are available in various sizes.<br />
Below you can see some other pictures,the images on the monitors are.The top one shows an image of <br />
EI 4 DIB/P on HF at the Skerries Mills on the Air in 2010.<br />
Bottom image is part of the /P station of Derek EI 7 CHB also at the Mills on the Air weekend.<br />
73' from Pat EI 2 HX.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_kmk7O8HRWBjKNuLoeBNHFdEhMCrMEl2u9lOUABNCFIuWAgtKpp7sJBhOYFtF65-fLCjNyXg4STg7L_Ec8WDaQxCSLQ0jKreigXr4cztcB8VXf8yV0kF3kStxn8_qEQpFiAqgKol66M/s1600/preamps+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_kmk7O8HRWBjKNuLoeBNHFdEhMCrMEl2u9lOUABNCFIuWAgtKpp7sJBhOYFtF65-fLCjNyXg4STg7L_Ec8WDaQxCSLQ0jKreigXr4cztcB8VXf8yV0kF3kStxn8_qEQpFiAqgKol66M/s200/preamps+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-A4ROE18o2fw5ApzjEJColqQD_gfVagZa1arygjE_F4gAoTPqF6PzrJ-zQNblilhD-fqL8i9190Ef5hjsi-d4EPr3mkQR4FMqWI8T3vAw4-sUV-838SSevc5aNA6HOHLvWfL7c3qnkc/s1600/view+of+ft+897+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 229px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 321px;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-A4ROE18o2fw5ApzjEJColqQD_gfVagZa1arygjE_F4gAoTPqF6PzrJ-zQNblilhD-fqL8i9190Ef5hjsi-d4EPr3mkQR4FMqWI8T3vAw4-sUV-838SSevc5aNA6HOHLvWfL7c3qnkc/s320/view+of+ft+897+%255B50%2525%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-37035748786988025142011-02-26T17:09:00.000+00:002011-02-28T22:21:46.215+00:00The HX Files 014<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hello and welcome to epessiode 14 of the HXfiles.</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you all had a quite and uneventful Christmas, and I would like to wish you all a very happy and a peaceful new year, and that all you buy at the forthcoming rallies works.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can never have enough.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>As usual I have made the same New Year resolutions, not to buy anything I have 2 or 3 of, but with the first rally of 2011, (Coolmines) only days away , (Rally date 20th-2nd 2011).</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I found some space for a project box or two just in case I see any must haves at the rally, as over Christmas I did yet another stock take and found stuff I did not know I even had, so I won’t have to buy<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>too much at the rallies this year as all my stock bins are full. You would think that with the dozens of different sizes of patch leads that you have, you would have years of stock to keep yourself supplied for all your projects, but after the project in the last issue, and its latest modification I used quite a few leads of around the same size and with the coaxial relay, and the now installed pre amp, I found out that a lot of leads the same size is not a bad thing after all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">7 GHz</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; page-break-after: avoid;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This project in this issue is of a 7 GHz transceiver. All the parts were collected over a period of a couple of years. I bought the7 GHz horn aerials about 3 years ago with the intension of removing their flanges and grafting on a smaller 10GHz horn aerial to convert them to 10 GHz and then I would have a good aerial setup for 10 GHz. (as I Hadn’t got any Tx or Rx equipment for 7 GHz yet) But at the next rally I was at, I saw and bought a couple of 10 GHz aerials, and the 7GHz ones went into stock. The aerials were aloud to acquire some protective coating, (dust).A year later I came across a couple of transitions that would convert the flange at the end of the aerial to a N type socket, and they would give me some leeway with the aerials and the connections on the Tx/Rx units as I did not know what connections would be used, but at least I had some more parts, but as yet, no Tx or Rx units. After some more of the protective coatings had been laid down on the aerials and transitions (about 8 months worth) I came across some Tx/Rx units several rallies later, and I also purchased a 50mw amp. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; page-break-after: avoid;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoz02FJDPX_Tml-M2xKKSnTe-2BVoPR52SKAJa5242UhPDf3pY1qbDE7STyHIQ3XtUgfhbSJEgYTne6eFglCQbfHyJKFB3CgG_0RkMQQ2MIMY-We2zhqiR8YbDwgAZoAnuoo296zi_Xw/s1600/Photo+2a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoz02FJDPX_Tml-M2xKKSnTe-2BVoPR52SKAJa5242UhPDf3pY1qbDE7STyHIQ3XtUgfhbSJEgYTne6eFglCQbfHyJKFB3CgG_0RkMQQ2MIMY-We2zhqiR8YbDwgAZoAnuoo296zi_Xw/s320/Photo+2a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; page-break-after: avoid;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Tx and Rx boards came with a small panel aerial each (photo 1 on the right). I did a couple of test with the small panel aerial that came with them, and the horn aerials.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; page-break-after: avoid;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But for this test I would use the larger panel aerial.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photo 2 below.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjMBxiKNnnJrfsvVybyFhcK-Shx69ASvN9dCAsnnGi5Ke7ZWGTVYcz1XXKJcWW6_RJ_qjINxDLsGHbsZ7zbbW2m3J49IfDDTmKwGEqoCt9DQ22cU7Ucs9tWKrymZ-W0qtscFbxYHumTQ/s1600/Photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjMBxiKNnnJrfsvVybyFhcK-Shx69ASvN9dCAsnnGi5Ke7ZWGTVYcz1XXKJcWW6_RJ_qjINxDLsGHbsZ7zbbW2m3J49IfDDTmKwGEqoCt9DQ22cU7Ucs9tWKrymZ-W0qtscFbxYHumTQ/s320/Photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">shows the front and back of them.(Yes I have two of them) The tests I did involved leaving the RX board and the horn aerial on a 20ft (6m) pole, then using some dc and audio video cables connected to the video recorder. I had made sure everything was working before I left my home and that I was receiving a signal. So, with the equipment pointing to a nearby hill, off I went. This would not be guest work as I had done a few experiments like this before; the location I was using was a piece of land beside the QTH of the late Dermot (EI-2-AK). I would have loved to have been able to be doing the receiving and watching the signal as I drove along the route to the hill, but that would have been highly dangerous, and just a tad against our licencing conditions about operating an unattended station. So of I went with the Tx signal blasting out the mega watts</span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; page-break-after: avoid;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (photo 3 below, shows the Tx/Rx without cables)) and with the Rx connected to the video recorder at home, recording my signal as I drove along the route to the top of the hill. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbw05ztu4XSGlGhfOM6LsrP97hzFeED0fo_kTUg9RXLv8SeYwJNzdh8n8rZKv7yfPj0rWQ04bsCoyTw3b9cA2tz12HPpddqePhkBxpSFM9lviyfkpgD_AKntUafuW_I0qtndcwCLubPs/s1600/Photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 275px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 321px;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbw05ztu4XSGlGhfOM6LsrP97hzFeED0fo_kTUg9RXLv8SeYwJNzdh8n8rZKv7yfPj0rWQ04bsCoyTw3b9cA2tz12HPpddqePhkBxpSFM9lviyfkpgD_AKntUafuW_I0qtndcwCLubPs/s320/Photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The TX now has a power out put of 50mw, and the unit including the panel aerial was connected to the roof rack via cable ties (what would we and the police do without them).There is no picture of this as it was not a pretty sight, I would make a proper bracket later, I used a camcorder mounted on the dashboard at first.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-1l86XSsBkatdN5NU6cv9CrZ6mI3cu1OG58BpPPMO3BnD1dSrosm9GWluQ6BGmpHvZhy025F7Wj91IxU-LUZoB3ESMfJvE-te67b4BIsXF_NhwIfdJTvKwKl5h1r_jZAG4TgaC0l3lo/s1600/Photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-1l86XSsBkatdN5NU6cv9CrZ6mI3cu1OG58BpPPMO3BnD1dSrosm9GWluQ6BGmpHvZhy025F7Wj91IxU-LUZoB3ESMfJvE-te67b4BIsXF_NhwIfdJTvKwKl5h1r_jZAG4TgaC0l3lo/s320/Photo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Later on, I switched to the camera mounted on the towing eye of the car see photo 4 left. I would have a good idea looking back at the recording to see what the signals were like, how wide or narrow, and also how they would differ from the horizontal and vertical planes.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Alone all alone</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">The RX and TX units have only 4 frequencies to play with, but this should not be too much of a problem as the band is a little quiet at the moment, both of signals and operators.so I had to send a signal to myself ,(that’s not the first time I have</span></span> talked to myself and maybe not the last) I decided to place the parts in the one box and make it into a transceiver and terminated it with an N type socket; the end of the horn aerial is finished in waveguide so I connected an N type to wave guide transition. This was not as easy as it sounds because the holes in the mounting flange on the aerial did not match the holes in the flange on the transition. After a talk with Michael (EI-5-GG) it was decided to make a plastic adaptor to hold the aerial and transition together and inline, while they were been marked for drilling, (the adaptor would be removed before final attachment) This was a tedious job cutting and filling to get a tight fit so the flanges both line up and be drilled correctly. With that job done (a couple of hours later) the next job was to decide how to attach the transceiver to the aerial and then to a pole. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJAtV7A69ciBRnXJekuwiin6rXymSv7QFkPUxOy4QTKNVYQ7LCUITBVHLerHsYTGpFHJF-l6BJoqAScSZW6bqVx-8Nd2e0lIkdlbyoSShcJIdXTRGoxoAAMmZSmkpESFum_DYwrpr-po/s1600/Photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJAtV7A69ciBRnXJekuwiin6rXymSv7QFkPUxOy4QTKNVYQ7LCUITBVHLerHsYTGpFHJF-l6BJoqAScSZW6bqVx-8Nd2e0lIkdlbyoSShcJIdXTRGoxoAAMmZSmkpESFum_DYwrpr-po/s320/Photo+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photo number 5 on the left shows the finished plate with all the gear attached. A couple of brackets were made to hold the transceiver to the plate rather than to bolt it direct to it as I only had the one TX unit at the moment, so I could go portable, as well as operate from the home. Another tricky job was the coaxial fly leads that were fitted to the boards; they had the SMA connectors the wrong way around (for me that is).I had a choice to change the lead or the relay, using the relay I have would mean using adapters, I had to decided what to do, to change the fly lead and to try and put a sma chassis socket on the board, or failing that a sma plug on a fly lead, or go with plan “A” and use the adaptors .So plan “A” it was. The adaptors would do as a short term solution as I would be only doing a few tests, and if I did not get a relay sooner rather than later I will have to get the soldering iron out and replace the fly leads. Installing the parts wasn’t too bad as the Tx/Rx boards were the same size and I decided to place one above the other using some small plastic spacers. It’s always a problem what to with all the connecting wires, whether to hide them or to leave them in view but tightly bound together so they look neat and tidy, It is nice to see but If you have to modify or replace parts you can find yourself making a new wiring loom, if you have put a chassis board in the box you can place the loose wires underneath and leave yourself with some room for manoeuvre if the worse happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">That’s all folks.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s it for another issue. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again a happy New Year and I hope all your signals will be P5.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">73’s de Pat.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-68881792580215442112011-01-04T01:48:00.000+00:002011-01-04T01:48:41.638+00:00The HX Files 13<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hello and welcome to xtract 13 of the HX files.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In this issue I would like to talk about the new mobile unit I am making .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After operating /m for many a time I decided to make a new mobile unit, It was taking the fun out of setting up /p when I had to connect the tx unit to the amp, the monitor, and their dc leads, and having to disconnect the aerial and connect it to the rx .</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you /per’s know the cables seem to have a life of their own and seem to knot together, and by the end of the experimenting, and that you would have a ball of wires at the end of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This unit would be an all in one; it would have a transmitter, receiver, and a small monitor installed, also I would be installing a 25 watt amp as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> This unit will save me a good bit of time as when I get to the site all I have to do is connect the aerial, camera and the dc, and I am good to go. And when the fun is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>over I would be on the way home in a few minutes, and not spending ages taking everything down and packing it away while the base station I just worked only has to switch off and head for the tea.( the lucky #*!>*<^<).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I was looking for a suitable project box in a Maplin store, and the ones they had were a bit too pricey for the size I wanted (and my pocket). So I had a look in my own stores, aka the shed, and after a while of digging in the shed I found the one you see in this issue. The first job was to make chassis for the parts, (this was made from some of the computer panel’s I had cut up that I mentioned in a previous issue) and to layout the parts for the best use of the project box and that the layout was as serviceable as it could be so I could improve on the design by adding other parts in the future. (Like a pre amp) <span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">laying</span> out the parts took a few tries as I had to make sure the parts would be easy to get to adjust if needed and I would also be able to add or remove a faulty unit on it’s own and not have to a complete teardown.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> The first job I did on the project box was to fit the monitor, speaker, led’s and switches to the front, (Photo 1) a few pages were used in drawing the mock-up for this.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MFWf04JD2YA47mwTeXdRWgCEquZA_86KUaT5dXlJJzwpybKo6o2fo5OuhlkX4atGYPzk1vysMQ10fuuZa9H8Va-KdeqwQH8ihqneycU2spCKCeezSYNGUIsua1_K0N2SaFOGByVO60o/s1600/Photo+%2523+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MFWf04JD2YA47mwTeXdRWgCEquZA_86KUaT5dXlJJzwpybKo6o2fo5OuhlkX4atGYPzk1vysMQ10fuuZa9H8Va-KdeqwQH8ihqneycU2spCKCeezSYNGUIsua1_K0N2SaFOGByVO60o/s320/Photo+%2523+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> The next job was to checkout how the heat sinks would perform under test. I had a small slab of aluminium plate that could be mounted on the back panel (Photo 2 below) or one that was much bigger and this one had fins as well. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFV9gJMUwIeIT82TbrBkm5nPfef5ioZPEJ49Xw-1SqncgUqIqnwYIbPbO19cHP_tk9tjH1P1XIDu4SV_KK2S2ZQh0MpX7ydl0hlbMdbzTL4aRnPe6hm897jX2N2OfJ8OvPdK-JoPpFWA/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFV9gJMUwIeIT82TbrBkm5nPfef5ioZPEJ49Xw-1SqncgUqIqnwYIbPbO19cHP_tk9tjH1P1XIDu4SV_KK2S2ZQh0MpX7ydl0hlbMdbzTL4aRnPe6hm897jX2N2OfJ8OvPdK-JoPpFWA/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 2<br />
First test<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The amp was mounted on to the heat sink, after some compound was used as this was only a test I held the amp onto the plate by cable ties. After only 5 minutes the temperature rose to 44 degress, way to hot, and when second heat sink was used (photo 3) this was the best, as after 35 minutes this was only 33 degrees</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Xs9A_Mdsl23KnTujxF6Ci3BfLlxSpDLlc8AM15q6LPzm3h2iGwZMWbWVb2wbiEioz0uzlIjZRee9L6sX0sbUabQJabOTwg5nvJNZo3sFQlR8u_5JTwNUDFWxOWFwZqnitvJPc18TRhk/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Xs9A_Mdsl23KnTujxF6Ci3BfLlxSpDLlc8AM15q6LPzm3h2iGwZMWbWVb2wbiEioz0uzlIjZRee9L6sX0sbUabQJabOTwg5nvJNZo3sFQlR8u_5JTwNUDFWxOWFwZqnitvJPc18TRhk/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlj7s91Vtp5CjIY_D9xqdBK8014aRQC3dttwJJbRkcQv6SJ3qx_Eyz1kcmg7UE72-YFRTcDHI8I_U2JNXyreWPHOz2RJ6SV6bSvkcDWElUM0CUXkJnWgc6xkKKYLire8QCEIFMpirP0Y/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlj7s91Vtp5CjIY_D9xqdBK8014aRQC3dttwJJbRkcQv6SJ3qx_Eyz1kcmg7UE72-YFRTcDHI8I_U2JNXyreWPHOz2RJ6SV6bSvkcDWElUM0CUXkJnWgc6xkKKYLire8QCEIFMpirP0Y/s200/photo+4.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool running</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (Photo 4 on the right) These tests were done without any cooling fans this heat sink was drilled and cut to size and was used as the back panel of the unit. A small piece of metal was used to make a panel to mount onto the back of the heat sink; this would be used to accommodate the aerial socket (N type) and audio/video sockets (phono) and the 12v dc line (a gland would be used for the cable to go through safely).</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeg8jHIkO_rdyKiGCfNoodI44bYvBTG1GNp-bvuF5tHpQ8mbJzYJH-1SVpe3qU1zKabzULvNqavS8QtTIWreJ4ODXtNGObunYojZNl5lc2zGvkj7OSwU-EHE6Zgsw_Y_jX0oWZlJDWcow/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeg8jHIkO_rdyKiGCfNoodI44bYvBTG1GNp-bvuF5tHpQ8mbJzYJH-1SVpe3qU1zKabzULvNqavS8QtTIWreJ4ODXtNGObunYojZNl5lc2zGvkj7OSwU-EHE6Zgsw_Y_jX0oWZlJDWcow/s320/photo+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 5</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (Photo 5 on the left).The first couple of layouts of the parts (Photos 6 ) were setup with some wires and coax attached, in photo 7 you can see more of the cables and leads, and I decided to put as many of the wires under the chassis as this could make the unit look tidy .</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photo 8 shows some of the parts in their final location, but as always this could be changed as the project developed as this is photo type 001 and who knows what would happen when the unit was up and running.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWPhsgUPWhHR-jQKU1eWRoqAjoDf6QBqgVLvP50Ftym0LKo-2-85vRMVkDy1f2yYIJ6PYBa3x2A1MxWVL8El6GljYhhs0hbUzJ5Vkh1uOAiJ9LTEPltkXx5lUlI4ktZPQL59VicUIeBg/s1600/photo+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWPhsgUPWhHR-jQKU1eWRoqAjoDf6QBqgVLvP50Ftym0LKo-2-85vRMVkDy1f2yYIJ6PYBa3x2A1MxWVL8El6GljYhhs0hbUzJ5Vkh1uOAiJ9LTEPltkXx5lUlI4ktZPQL59VicUIeBg/s320/photo+6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 6</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5owd16fpN_F_r0NeljIPO3F5HjiPfPkQIR3BTnzK0xPNb3l4TmSNZe6EeUTdUZj0iE6Kv6DO203MGhnogvkukFwUZNJz4rZNkhefp2aS8pAoadVGlRd1RDLsH2m2BIY20Y74dx6cvtF8/s1600/photo+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5owd16fpN_F_r0NeljIPO3F5HjiPfPkQIR3BTnzK0xPNb3l4TmSNZe6EeUTdUZj0iE6Kv6DO203MGhnogvkukFwUZNJz4rZNkhefp2aS8pAoadVGlRd1RDLsH2m2BIY20Y74dx6cvtF8/s1600/photo+7.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 7</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtw2O_aVAKhweaeoCgcXhM2xrapYm_ckJJOy6PsPJWzbWIro33tnfaaTMpUc-pgOUGN0uiY7a3OB6ISsr_qei5fsOPkUwIsHX309Ly7yiKvzryrYe33ejQFMTaM5aSN9QNke9HHL98Q5U/s1600/photo+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtw2O_aVAKhweaeoCgcXhM2xrapYm_ckJJOy6PsPJWzbWIro33tnfaaTMpUc-pgOUGN0uiY7a3OB6ISsr_qei5fsOPkUwIsHX309Ly7yiKvzryrYe33ejQFMTaM5aSN9QNke9HHL98Q5U/s1600/photo+8.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 8</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pXADPyUpg14dEBkJq0BIk80X_xDx4tFNvpKiTbcmJGyfqNrT1UmIRc6Q5pKM3daY9u3kY4RCiZDtfI1Zj76pfa6oElmtq2J_Sq3bCjsfZdPiP0rrJZ2oxbZxtKZdjxH94xRMB29WVwA/s1600/photo+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pXADPyUpg14dEBkJq0BIk80X_xDx4tFNvpKiTbcmJGyfqNrT1UmIRc6Q5pKM3daY9u3kY4RCiZDtfI1Zj76pfa6oElmtq2J_Sq3bCjsfZdPiP0rrJZ2oxbZxtKZdjxH94xRMB29WVwA/s1600/photo+10.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photo 9 on the left shows the finished back panel but without the fan guards and the dc leads. After a few hours of transmitting both into a dummy load and on air, I did some modifications of the parts, one been the relay, it was running hot so it was mounted on some heat sink, (see photo 10 before I found the right bolts) the other been the coax from the N type to the relay. It was decided to use some hard-line coax as the transmitter was losing power, the original seemed to be intermittingly loosing power and if it was not for the watt meter I would not have known, and who knows I could have let all the smoke out in a few weeks of usage.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnLmAnjnVAD0TYrIEzWiSLWwEiZQaQoH9qaotzRGpKvCjSNcRzZt8Lr8QIWhNUIjFQjcnBEwJFRYxaW5ROIehLTBD_cmqTIfhSWynFpit_j4riMvkrxsWmhrQWWmcJv1mVNA_NLo2Mv4/s1600/heat+sink+on+relay+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnLmAnjnVAD0TYrIEzWiSLWwEiZQaQoH9qaotzRGpKvCjSNcRzZt8Lr8QIWhNUIjFQjcnBEwJFRYxaW5ROIehLTBD_cmqTIfhSWynFpit_j4riMvkrxsWmhrQWWmcJv1mVNA_NLo2Mv4/s320/heat+sink+on+relay+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 10<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> It was only when the connections were been rechecked and tightened that it was noticed when the coax was held that the RF power dropped. When I decide to install the pre-amp and a different relay I will be making a new chassis out of metal again as the prototype one was getting like a sieve, and I will paint it to match the outside of the unit, or it could be made from a piece of Perspex .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As a point of interest the tools I used in constructing this project were, a cordless drill, various drill bits, including a stepped one that is shaped like a cone, a hole punch, various files, and a tap and die set, most of these tools are available in your local hardware store.</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">And finally</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Thanks to Michael EI-5-GG for his help in some of the drilling and taping on the project and of course his years of experience in the construction field. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">73's and may all your signals be P5.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-40588979881887892452011-01-03T13:49:00.000+00:002011-01-03T13:49:13.367+00:00The HX Files 12<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The H<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">X</b> files.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello and welcome to extract 012 of the HX files.<span style="font-size: 20pt;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">D’oh.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since the last HX files I was operating /P, I went to a site that was just over 15 km’s line of sight from the QTH of Mark </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(EI-9-FX) </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwWmmmJTeQ7MYARDRs18vIj14QZJOOumYa3f3t1uENqxw80VpMklJsLVo6HY4tdmRISReuRh8YI3cirwtHNC9qFZd5FnWCXJ2KEPCbLW1xuXpOtXByRfCyJJycOJhDsm0FJVc6YJ-X_k/s1600/Photo+C1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwWmmmJTeQ7MYARDRs18vIj14QZJOOumYa3f3t1uENqxw80VpMklJsLVo6HY4tdmRISReuRh8YI3cirwtHNC9qFZd5FnWCXJ2KEPCbLW1xuXpOtXByRfCyJJycOJhDsm0FJVc6YJ-X_k/s320/Photo+C1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 1<br />
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The location had a good take off and but it was down a lane that was not used often and was more or less a dirt track. I was brave because of the location, high and overlooking the area around Mark’s location. I said to Mark that I would not be bringing the 1.2 GHz equipment, and I would only bring the 10 GHz gear.(D’oh) The aerial I used was a horn aerial, photo 1, (the business <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>end of the horn antenna is 20cms x 20cms and is a total length of 5ocms) I started to transmit to Mark, and I slowly started to at first, pan across were I though Mark was, and then tilt the aerial and kept doing a couple of passes but all to no avail, Mark was not getting a thing from me. I guess I should have brought the 1.2GHz equipment with me to help me find Mark’s location , so, if you know of a village in need of an idiot, you can E-mail me and let me know.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After awhile I decided to give up the trials for the night, and even on the way home from that failed attempt, I was talking to Mark on 2m, and I could not understand how we had such a bad outcome. The following day I decided to setup my 10GHz gear at home to see if I had a dodgy transmitter, or a faulty connector, or lead. so I setup in the sitting room of my home, and hey presto the picture and sound were there on my screen, so I was (@~¬*^#*) glad that I had a transmitter that worked, but because I was operating so close to the receiver I could have easily pickup my transmission at any power level, so I decided to use the Power meter (photo 2 ) to check that I still had my 500mw’s of Tx power,( or any mw watts at all, and I was relieved to see I had still got my full power .</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkkMhDU8v7KlyT1umz0ANQvZlon8qjhK1S8NEdC5QgpxWgIRbS0yzibrr447enNBbEckFMbdaLBR3P72O7F_J1DxPB7fS3cNLP0FqqHK5JqTkvnGKbHzCZB4DMbUPd_0zKAPadAgBSoI/s1600/HP+432A+Power+Meter+%2526+Power+Heads.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkkMhDU8v7KlyT1umz0ANQvZlon8qjhK1S8NEdC5QgpxWgIRbS0yzibrr447enNBbEckFMbdaLBR3P72O7F_J1DxPB7fS3cNLP0FqqHK5JqTkvnGKbHzCZB4DMbUPd_0zKAPadAgBSoI/s320/HP+432A+Power+Meter+%2526+Power+Heads.JPG" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 2<br />
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</tbody></table> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take 2.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One week later, and here I was back at the scene of the failed attempt, to try again, this time I decided to bring the 1.2GHz equipment .The first thing I did was to get set up that equipment, and then Mark and I could try and get each other on 1.2 GHz, and when we had that done we had an idea were our 10Ghz aerials were to point. Even though we were only over 15km from each other (again we will not be setting any records until we put a nought or two on the end of that figure). Mark was using a 10 watt transmitter and a 35el tonna aerial, and I was using 15watts and a 21el tonna at first, and the<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">n</span> a Flash Gordon aerial later, see photo 3. With either of the aerials I used, both Mark and I could do no wrong; we could get each other with ease. In my case I was pointing the smaller aerial ( the Flash Gordon one) at the Moon ,Australia and even pointing it inside the car Mark was still getting me .We were just about to start using the 10Ghz equipment ,when we were joined on 145.400,by Tom (EI-9-CJ)who had heard us talking on 2m, and then Mark and I done a few test’s on 1.2Ghz with Tom with both of the aerials first on 15 watts and then with 750mw ,and just like Mark, Tom could get me every bit as good .(Tom lives in Rockmarshall, Dundalk and was around 27Km’s from me).</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 3<br />
Flash Gordon Aerial</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">10 GHz.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tom stayed on the radio monitoring our 2m feedback, and then I started to transmit on 10 GHz to Mark. Using the horn aerial again, and balancing the aerial using the top of the door to take most of the weight and to hold it steady I started to transmit a signal, and shock and horror after a few seconds Mark got my signal, success at last.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3jr3ZBiqjAEOX8NxFuqHoooYKOeOhBPMPMML9jL8fmqi3MgXw3323vbiLWvYK80sT8lrisPgELBfK5HakoRpM8ooMGkXuNwYsbx-CHhmRsx-RLXnd7ix5nKxjOpMPm8EnK_nVm0Ctj4/s1600/Photo+A1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3jr3ZBiqjAEOX8NxFuqHoooYKOeOhBPMPMML9jL8fmqi3MgXw3323vbiLWvYK80sT8lrisPgELBfK5HakoRpM8ooMGkXuNwYsbx-CHhmRsx-RLXnd7ix5nKxjOpMPm8EnK_nVm0Ctj4/s320/Photo+A1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disc element Aerial<br />
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (So what was wrong with last week’s attempt, did someone knock a shed or open a window? </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was in the exact same spot from the week before, as in the lane that I was on, it was the only spot that I could turn my car and not have to reverse about 2km to get back to an asphalt road). While I was still transmitting, Mark decided to retransmit my signal to Tom on 1.2GHz, as I was transmitting on 10GHz to Mark, Tom would be talking back on 2m and letting me know if my Armstrong rotator was drifting off Mark, because Mark was in another room away from his shack, as he had the 10 GHz gear setup again in the east wing, and he was using the audio he could hear from Tom telling me on the 2m rig to stop moving ,and then Mark would peak my signal and Tom would have a P5 (excellent)picture.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what if anything was in the path between us the previous week but at lest we were successful this time.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What’s next?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next thing Mark and I have to do is to use our <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10GHz transmitters with our dishes and transmitters attached to our tripods, photo 4, and try from a couple of hill tops. I will be bringing the 1.2GHz equipment with me for sure this time.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lesson learned indeed, anyway that’s it for another issue .Thanks yet again to Thos (EI-2-JD) for the photo studio time.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As usual may your signals be P5. 73’s, Pat. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-45523971093509597772010-10-01T23:08:00.000+01:002010-10-01T23:08:02.164+01:00New Amp. 05<span style="font-size: large;">Nearly there.</span><br />
In this series of photo's you can see more of the layout of the audio and video cables, also coax and dc +, and -.<br />
Most of the cables are ran under the chassis of the unit.<br />
All that is left to do is to attach the cables to their proper switches and the project will be finished.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym7F-k9tB2A4ZNKjTfKACoeC-VrqrASAaUbkZNWQ_lc8TkK_43JfFWuRHjYPpV4RyB7KXW4GkvYqirE8iyNAjKbqaV6UnjGtyjN0iXCP0HS2ax-kxC14OFlKj1BzZrX17RbhCWF67QoI/s1600/IMG_0085+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym7F-k9tB2A4ZNKjTfKACoeC-VrqrASAaUbkZNWQ_lc8TkK_43JfFWuRHjYPpV4RyB7KXW4GkvYqirE8iyNAjKbqaV6UnjGtyjN0iXCP0HS2ax-kxC14OFlKj1BzZrX17RbhCWF67QoI/s320/IMG_0085+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPW30XTzm64fp2MydrRx7EKXQxg7Qk6Ud6EYXv-b9DdW37RFWXOxDWmhGPzsfg3egDpXy57luPPSc-59Pqzsss1ypWx0jZ8EZhXDRE_5CUR2S4I7uQmG1GMIhmOIPUzANEvTygUywx6c8/s1600/IMG_0086+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPW30XTzm64fp2MydrRx7EKXQxg7Qk6Ud6EYXv-b9DdW37RFWXOxDWmhGPzsfg3egDpXy57luPPSc-59Pqzsss1ypWx0jZ8EZhXDRE_5CUR2S4I7uQmG1GMIhmOIPUzANEvTygUywx6c8/s320/IMG_0086+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-80531326156454795202010-10-01T22:44:00.000+01:002010-10-01T22:44:13.726+01:00New Amp 04.Just some more photo's of my latest project.<br />
The photo's below show the latest stage of the build .<br />
As you can see by some of the photo's, the equipment uses some very small parts.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0J3g35qQYbdHSQmQ3_akcUrRZALNVzfRASYUF4qRen_1tMhwMRsBuIkcTKzbGnJTllPF_BSMRDO_kRc3ARjc4F6TelrT_ySMGhyaxY66Ve6IO4ysIYSqw1JAB2YA3G14KpWiSY0oNqo8/s1600/fuse+on+txrx+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0J3g35qQYbdHSQmQ3_akcUrRZALNVzfRASYUF4qRen_1tMhwMRsBuIkcTKzbGnJTllPF_BSMRDO_kRc3ARjc4F6TelrT_ySMGhyaxY66Ve6IO4ysIYSqw1JAB2YA3G14KpWiSY0oNqo8/s320/fuse+on+txrx+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a>I placed the plug fuse beside some of the components just to give you an idea of the size, or lack of, the unit.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpCiWGJd88AxV-ksK1Y3rTIa9ZL8MfkmTk4uk0kRNWgLVcLPhBLhECwVClC8iwX6D5rt9Ixt-yN7ZsdsEF2PbizBSzqSou7DE3a_VLLvtMiewIVqfAtuqF7ecj9_Z30o9bBjK9AZvX7E/s1600/fuse+on+amp+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpCiWGJd88AxV-ksK1Y3rTIa9ZL8MfkmTk4uk0kRNWgLVcLPhBLhECwVClC8iwX6D5rt9Ixt-yN7ZsdsEF2PbizBSzqSou7DE3a_VLLvtMiewIVqfAtuqF7ecj9_Z30o9bBjK9AZvX7E/s320/fuse+on+amp+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRpHM59kFsOApWAJD5_alYY-8MkK_4DSC6XxddKKawV3eu47ZMU9jsh7HQjjboxo3REjMpurd5pys1IYW7FbV2BzAF4Ubba8ICFs-Fqn9KexQVK2BKm7UjeZN_dHh3Y6rM93EkGe5rP8/s1600/rough+layout-1+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRpHM59kFsOApWAJD5_alYY-8MkK_4DSC6XxddKKawV3eu47ZMU9jsh7HQjjboxo3REjMpurd5pys1IYW7FbV2BzAF4Ubba8ICFs-Fqn9KexQVK2BKm7UjeZN_dHh3Y6rM93EkGe5rP8/s320/rough+layout-1+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">starting layout of cables and coaxal feeds</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUzg8vgP5I1IAiATGFczh6S9XLZUPD_7Zbkyz7hNQAzvV-gIXhjZkEtMEL2oSPD9rpMvpNjAnqXJP1s7ReaFsnMKtXvlBWZY30QAGRVADDkgQcDzfCAAs1HFnxSVpl_ft2tph7S-BPmU/s1600/rough+layout+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUzg8vgP5I1IAiATGFczh6S9XLZUPD_7Zbkyz7hNQAzvV-gIXhjZkEtMEL2oSPD9rpMvpNjAnqXJP1s7ReaFsnMKtXvlBWZY30QAGRVADDkgQcDzfCAAs1HFnxSVpl_ft2tph7S-BPmU/s320/rough+layout+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVX5aQrSs_IyH5cALsLhZ-NPmnfD5AmR8XO4tqrQAgXs9poMhdavDKtkldmTFk7Rw5cnP8jAeuhTHnQ7TcbakRLkVLII5V5tI7_QJr1G56ueWKVfKUgsznwCdMmwGJeMf6CRIzQzMwZE/s1600/fuse+.+relay+and+txrx+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVX5aQrSs_IyH5cALsLhZ-NPmnfD5AmR8XO4tqrQAgXs9poMhdavDKtkldmTFk7Rw5cnP8jAeuhTHnQ7TcbakRLkVLII5V5tI7_QJr1G56ueWKVfKUgsznwCdMmwGJeMf6CRIzQzMwZE/s320/fuse+.+relay+and+txrx+%5B1600x1200%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8875872917289141960.post-1845808047556311562010-09-16T02:01:00.000+01:002010-09-16T02:01:16.268+01:00New amp part 3.<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">More photos of the next step of the build.</span></div>Just a few photos of the 23 Cm's transceiver project, and amp.<br />
The amp has been mounted onto the heatsink, and it has now become the back panel.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">In the photos you can see a very rough placement of the TX board, coaxial relay, and dc distribution board. Also a couple of different fan sizes, and what ones to use. A test will be done to see which fan size will work best and / or be practical, the smaller ones seem to be the favourites before testing. As you see by one photo it was not all work on this night of construction.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrEurJLUMg0iYVjVZgYlnehq8m-FKJZyt2V2-oMKW3hh8CBmBAoYWJeQXeRZWZdUeqi61SkJlSmPul7uhekPDXyGQoGkInOBVHynTZ59HUVH-W52ecEfLiW0mB6Ookt-sSsCNGP9xkFI/s1600/soldering++n-type.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrEurJLUMg0iYVjVZgYlnehq8m-FKJZyt2V2-oMKW3hh8CBmBAoYWJeQXeRZWZdUeqi61SkJlSmPul7uhekPDXyGQoGkInOBVHynTZ59HUVH-W52ecEfLiW0mB6Ookt-sSsCNGP9xkFI/s320/soldering++n-type.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Pat Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07395481067736093887noreply@blogger.com0