Author Archive
New Radio but which one?
February 23rd, 2016 | 
Author: It has been over 30 years since I invested in a big Amateur base station radio, that being the good old FT-736R which has certainly stood the test of time, and is still in good use today, doesn't that say something how well these radios were made. However HF, I have always managed with secondhand offerings, apart from a new Yaesu FT-817 I bought several years ago, and few QRP kit built projects, nothing has really taken my interest, until now!
Good old trusty
Unparalleled FT-817
A major new rig purchase every 10 years I guess is not going to break the bank.
Yaesu have started off the New Year with slashing the price of FTDX1200 making it quite affordable, and within budget, plus a little free option thrown in on top, thus making this radio quite an attractive buy. But there is also the new Yaesu FT-991 to consider, which is also priced around the same, but also offering 2m/70cm on top. Then along has come this new wild card, to throw my decison off course. The ICOM IC-7300 SDR is the new kid on the block, but there is not much to be seen in the flesh with this radio at the moment, apart from a few video's and snap shots.
Is it best play safe and stick with the name that has always served me well over the years?
Decision time, is not always easy, when there are a lot of good products on the market to tempt the money away from the purse, one can only afford to buy one, but which one?
A major new rig purchase every 10 years I guess is not going to break the bank.
Yaesu have started off the New Year with slashing the price of FTDX1200 making it quite affordable, and within budget, plus a little free option thrown in on top, thus making this radio quite an attractive buy. But there is also the new Yaesu FT-991 to consider, which is also priced around the same, but also offering 2m/70cm on top. Then along has come this new wild card, to throw my decison off course. The ICOM IC-7300 SDR is the new kid on the block, but there is not much to be seen in the flesh with this radio at the moment, apart from a few video's and snap shots.
Is it best play safe and stick with the name that has always served me well over the years?
Decision time, is not always easy, when there are a lot of good products on the market to tempt the money away from the purse, one can only afford to buy one, but which one?
Carrying On The Practical Way – Follow up
Since making it known to the world last weekend about the release of "Carrying on the Practical Way" from PW, written by G3RJV since August 1996. That particular Blog was proved to be the most eye catching article I have written so far, with Hundreds of hits over the first couple of days of it's issue. I also guess the tills have been busy ringing down at Practical Wireless HQ, at one stage it was marked as SOLD OUT but they soon pressed the restock button and reset this. Does this mean I get a Christmas card from them this year, or George gets a few extra Royalties to help his pension along?
What it does prove though is what I have said before and made well known to PW several years ago, that G3RJV's series is very popular, and well liked in our circles, and will always be the anchor for the Novice to find a good reference point and solid footing into our hobby. Another way of putting George's work, is like a fine Wine that matures with age, or a Matt Monro recording that never fades, that is of course if you appreciate Matt Monro?
I have now printed some of my missing early parts out and bound them up into a folder, allowing me to read it when I have a boring moment:
One or Two contacted me to ask if this will be available as a book? I just don't know, but judging by the intense interest of traffic, over to you Practical Wireless!
What it does prove though is what I have said before and made well known to PW several years ago, that G3RJV's series is very popular, and well liked in our circles, and will always be the anchor for the Novice to find a good reference point and solid footing into our hobby. Another way of putting George's work, is like a fine Wine that matures with age, or a Matt Monro recording that never fades, that is of course if you appreciate Matt Monro?
I have now printed some of my missing early parts out and bound them up into a folder, allowing me to read it when I have a boring moment:
One or Two contacted me to ask if this will be available as a book? I just don't know, but judging by the intense interest of traffic, over to you Practical Wireless!
Carrying On The Practical Way- Follow up
Since making it known to the world last weekend about the release of "Carrying on the Practical Way" from PW written by G3RJV since August 1996. That particular Blog was proved to be the most eye catching article I have written so far, with Hundreds of hits over the first couple of days of it's issue. I also guess the tills have been busy ringing down at Practical Wireless HQ, at one stage it was marked as SOLD OUT but they soon pressed the restock button and reset this. Does this mean I get a Christmas card from them this year, or George gets a few extra Royalties to help his pension along?
What it does prove though is what I have said before and made well known to PW several years ago, that the G3RJV's series is very popular, and well liked in our circles, and will always be the anchor for the Novice to find a good reference point and solid footing into our hobby. Another way of putting George's work, is like a fine Wine that matures with age, or a Matt Monro recording that never fades, that is of course if you appreciate Matt Monro?
I have now printed some of my missing early parts out and bound them up into a folder, allowing me to read it when I have a boring moment:
One or Two contacted me to ask if this will be available as a book? I just don't know, but judging by the intense interest of traffic, over to you Practical Wireless!
What it does prove though is what I have said before and made well known to PW several years ago, that the G3RJV's series is very popular, and well liked in our circles, and will always be the anchor for the Novice to find a good reference point and solid footing into our hobby. Another way of putting George's work, is like a fine Wine that matures with age, or a Matt Monro recording that never fades, that is of course if you appreciate Matt Monro?
I have now printed some of my missing early parts out and bound them up into a folder, allowing me to read it when I have a boring moment:
One or Two contacted me to ask if this will be available as a book? I just don't know, but judging by the intense interest of traffic, over to you Practical Wireless!
Carrying On The Practical Way – Practical Wireless – G3RJV
When anyone says QRP they always relate to the Low Power side of our hobby and the GQRP Club founded by the Rev George Dobbs (G3RJV), over 40 years ago. Some may not know that George has written columns and many pages for technical radio hobby magazines over the years.
One being is Practical Wireless which he has written on average a two page monthly article for the last 20 years or so, called "Carrying on the Practical Way". The series consisted of simple electronic projects which could be built up out of a scrap box of components on a dark Winters evening. The projects have always proved to be very useful and popular, whether just a simple Colpitts oscillator, amplifier, low Pass filter. Or maybe something a bit more technical to get you on the air! A Receiver and a QRP Transmitter along with some simple test equipment to help you prove what you had built was functional, accurate and even transmitting a carrier. All which were covered by his simple designs in the series.
I had wrote to PW several years ago, asking them to collate the pages together and release this as a book, as it had been one of the most useful and methodical technical series I had ever read. I thought this had fell on deaf ears? However, recently G3RJV retired from writing for Practical Wireless, and they have now decided the time was right to release the entire series on disk in PDF format.
Mine arrived in the post this morning, and it's something I will be busy looking over in my spare time, as some of the articles I have missed as I have a hole in my PW collection.
Carrying on the Practical Way is available from PW publishing LTD for £15 plus postage. Click on this Link for further details. Please note! I have no connection with PW so please don't contact me.
I recommend this series to the novice and those just starting out in electronics, or even the mature converted like myself. There is something in it for everyone, timeless, simple understandable electronics, that is a bonus in the shack and it is well worth a purchase.
One being is Practical Wireless which he has written on average a two page monthly article for the last 20 years or so, called "Carrying on the Practical Way". The series consisted of simple electronic projects which could be built up out of a scrap box of components on a dark Winters evening. The projects have always proved to be very useful and popular, whether just a simple Colpitts oscillator, amplifier, low Pass filter. Or maybe something a bit more technical to get you on the air! A Receiver and a QRP Transmitter along with some simple test equipment to help you prove what you had built was functional, accurate and even transmitting a carrier. All which were covered by his simple designs in the series.
I had wrote to PW several years ago, asking them to collate the pages together and release this as a book, as it had been one of the most useful and methodical technical series I had ever read. I thought this had fell on deaf ears? However, recently G3RJV retired from writing for Practical Wireless, and they have now decided the time was right to release the entire series on disk in PDF format.
Mine arrived in the post this morning, and it's something I will be busy looking over in my spare time, as some of the articles I have missed as I have a hole in my PW collection.
Carrying on the Practical Way is available from PW publishing LTD for £15 plus postage. Click on this Link for further details. Please note! I have no connection with PW so please don't contact me.
I recommend this series to the novice and those just starting out in electronics, or even the mature converted like myself. There is something in it for everyone, timeless, simple understandable electronics, that is a bonus in the shack and it is well worth a purchase.
Carrying On The Practical Way – Practical Wireless – G3RJV
When anyone says QRP they always relate to the Low Power side of our hobby and the GQRP Club founded by the Rev George Dobbs (G3RJV), over 40 years ago. Some may not know that George has written columns and many pages for technical radio hobby magazines over the years.
One being is Practical Wireless which he has written on average a two page monthly article for the last 20 years or so, called "Carrying on the Practical Way". The series consisted of simple electronic projects which could be built up out of a scrap box of components on a dark Winters evening. The projects have always proved to be very useful and popular, whether just a simple Colpitts oscillator, amplifier, low Pass filter. Or maybe something a bit more technical to get you on the air! A Receiver and a QRP Transmitter along with some simple test equipment to help you prove what you had built was functional, accurate and even transmitting a carrier. All which were covered by his simple designs in the series.
I had wrote to PW several years ago, asking them to collate the pages together and release this as a book, as it had been one of the most useful and methodical technical series, I thought this had fell on deaf ears?
However, recently G3RJV retired from writing for Practical Wireless, and they have now decided the time was right to release the entire series on disk in PDF format.
Mine arrived in the post this morning, and it's something I will be busy looking over in my spare time, as some of the articles I have missed as I have a hole in my PW collection.
Carrying on the Practical Way is available from PW publishing LTD for £15 plus postage. Click on this Link for further details. Please note! I have no connection with PW so please don't contact me.
I recommend this series to the novice and those just starting out in electronics, or even the mature converted like myself. There is something in it for everyone, timeless, simple understandable electronics, that is a bonus in the shack and it is well worth a purchase.
One being is Practical Wireless which he has written on average a two page monthly article for the last 20 years or so, called "Carrying on the Practical Way". The series consisted of simple electronic projects which could be built up out of a scrap box of components on a dark Winters evening. The projects have always proved to be very useful and popular, whether just a simple Colpitts oscillator, amplifier, low Pass filter. Or maybe something a bit more technical to get you on the air! A Receiver and a QRP Transmitter along with some simple test equipment to help you prove what you had built was functional, accurate and even transmitting a carrier. All which were covered by his simple designs in the series.
I had wrote to PW several years ago, asking them to collate the pages together and release this as a book, as it had been one of the most useful and methodical technical series, I thought this had fell on deaf ears?
However, recently G3RJV retired from writing for Practical Wireless, and they have now decided the time was right to release the entire series on disk in PDF format.
Mine arrived in the post this morning, and it's something I will be busy looking over in my spare time, as some of the articles I have missed as I have a hole in my PW collection.
Carrying on the Practical Way is available from PW publishing LTD for £15 plus postage. Click on this Link for further details. Please note! I have no connection with PW so please don't contact me.
I recommend this series to the novice and those just starting out in electronics, or even the mature converted like myself. There is something in it for everyone, timeless, simple understandable electronics, that is a bonus in the shack and it is well worth a purchase.
Merry Christmas & Happy 2016
Thanks for popping in and reading throughout the year,
I will be back with some more soon!
Hope Santa brings you all some nice Amateur Radio goodies and some good DX!
A Merry Christmas to you all & Happy New Year 2016.
73's Steve
USB – Simple idea of attachment
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is one of the few interfaces on computers that is certainly a big success story. You plug in your Camera, Memory stick etc, and in most cases it loads up the drivers and in a few seconds you are away, who can remember the hours spent messing around configuring RS232? However, on smaller devices, Tablets and Mobile devices, the USB socket and plug are scaled down in size (micro or mini USB), my Chuwi Vi8 is no exception with only "One" micro USB socket and one mini HDMI:
The One and only micro USB socket is not only used for data, but also for charging the device. A lot of excess daily wear and tear, plugging in and out, switching between USB devices. Of course the idea of cutting down to one socket is to help keep costs down in production, but how long can the socket possibly last before something gives?
The best way is to expand by using a cheap USB Hub, and there are quite a few different types available for a couple of Pounds. These also allow conversion back to standard USB for other devices, and a seperate power feed via another micro USB socket which can be used to charge the device while the hub is connected in theory anyway, read on:
Although this solves the problem of USB connection. There is another problem with this arrangement, the weight of the hub and devices hanging on the end of the Tablet, putting unwanted stress on the USB micro socket on the side of the Tablet, there has got to be a be a better way of fixing this and tidying it all up.
I was lucky, I had a case that came with a USB Keyboard, could I work out some sort of method of attaching the hub to the case? I had an idea!
A visit to a discount stationary shop while I was in town, I came across a packet of medium sized binder clips. The sort you use for holding files of paper together and hanging up on a hook for reference. The clips came in a pack of twelve for 69p making the fix less than 6 pence!
The clip provides an excellent amount of force suitable for the job of trapping the hub to the rear of the case. There is no movement and it is quite secure:
Once happy that it is square and fixed to the rear of the case, the two leverage arms, hooks or whatever you wish to call them can be detached from the main body of binder clip and discarded.
This provides the solution, and as you can see all the weight and stress is removed off the main cable and the micro USB socket on the tablet. With the sockets happy and tidy on the back of the case ready for use:
All seemed ok? I could then use the hub with various USB devices, but when I came to charge the tablet via the micro USB charging socket on the hub, this was found not to work? I came to the conclusion it was not wired into the hub or faulty in someway, I contacted the ebay dealer for a replacement he offered me $1, so I had to use the ebay tools to force his little Chinese hand to give me my full refund.
Shortly after, I found what looked to be a better USB hub from another "reliable" ebay dealer. This type has a switch to change between charge, or data, plus an extra USB Port:
This was a tighter fit under the binder clip due to the hub casing being slightly thicker, but all is now well, I can now charge the tablet without removing the micro USB from the side of the tablet, plus I have three USB sockets at hand, one which is taken up with the USB keyboard in the case:
Problem sorted and all put to good daily use using keypad and mouse, all fed by the USB hub attached to the rear of the case:
Ref Cases with keypads:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-USB-Keyboard-PU-Leather-Stand-Case-For-7-8-9-10-inch-Android-Tablet-Cover-/331700602824?var=&hash=item4d3ae587c8:m:m5pToynDbevJvNqycuFaZAA
The One and only micro USB socket is not only used for data, but also for charging the device. A lot of excess daily wear and tear, plugging in and out, switching between USB devices. Of course the idea of cutting down to one socket is to help keep costs down in production, but how long can the socket possibly last before something gives?
The best way is to expand by using a cheap USB Hub, and there are quite a few different types available for a couple of Pounds. These also allow conversion back to standard USB for other devices, and a seperate power feed via another micro USB socket which can be used to charge the device while the hub is connected in theory anyway, read on:
Although this solves the problem of USB connection. There is another problem with this arrangement, the weight of the hub and devices hanging on the end of the Tablet, putting unwanted stress on the USB micro socket on the side of the Tablet, there has got to be a be a better way of fixing this and tidying it all up.
I was lucky, I had a case that came with a USB Keyboard, could I work out some sort of method of attaching the hub to the case? I had an idea!
A visit to a discount stationary shop while I was in town, I came across a packet of medium sized binder clips. The sort you use for holding files of paper together and hanging up on a hook for reference. The clips came in a pack of twelve for 69p making the fix less than 6 pence!
The clip provides an excellent amount of force suitable for the job of trapping the hub to the rear of the case. There is no movement and it is quite secure:
Once happy that it is square and fixed to the rear of the case, the two leverage arms, hooks or whatever you wish to call them can be detached from the main body of binder clip and discarded.
This provides the solution, and as you can see all the weight and stress is removed off the main cable and the micro USB socket on the tablet. With the sockets happy and tidy on the back of the case ready for use:
All seemed ok? I could then use the hub with various USB devices, but when I came to charge the tablet via the micro USB charging socket on the hub, this was found not to work? I came to the conclusion it was not wired into the hub or faulty in someway, I contacted the ebay dealer for a replacement he offered me $1, so I had to use the ebay tools to force his little Chinese hand to give me my full refund.
Shortly after, I found what looked to be a better USB hub from another "reliable" ebay dealer. This type has a switch to change between charge, or data, plus an extra USB Port:
This was a tighter fit under the binder clip due to the hub casing being slightly thicker, but all is now well, I can now charge the tablet without removing the micro USB from the side of the tablet, plus I have three USB sockets at hand, one which is taken up with the USB keyboard in the case:
Problem sorted and all put to good daily use using keypad and mouse, all fed by the USB hub attached to the rear of the case:
Ref Cases with keypads:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-USB-Keyboard-PU-Leather-Stand-Case-For-7-8-9-10-inch-Android-Tablet-Cover-/331700602824?var=&hash=item4d3ae587c8:m:m5pToynDbevJvNqycuFaZAA
