Portable 2-Meter Antenna for Sanibel Island Vacation.

I needed a portable 2-meter antenna for my hand held and after some Googling I came across a web page by KN9B of a Slim-Jim antenna the he had constructed. The Slim-Jim antenna is much like a J-Pole but pretty simple to make using 450 ohm ladder line.

I followed the instructions on KN9B web site http://www.kn9b.us/slim-jim-antenna . The only change was the adjustment method.  I used Fahnestock clips that I had on hand for ease of adjustment.  The antenna SWR was a bit higher but usable across the 2 meter band.

Adjustment Method

Completed Antenna

Whats behind the door!!

Ed Roberts - MITS - Loud music

Make Magazine article about Ed Roberts.

Ed Roberts lived above me when I lived on Curry Drive in a basement apartment in Macon, Georgia. He rented the 1st floor with another medical student when he left MITS.  He became a doctor and practiced in Cochran Georgia where he passed.

I did not really know who he was at the time but only his name and the he was once in the computer industry. I only saw him in passing and then the one time he got on to me about about my  loud music. 

I regret not knowing who he was at the time.

Old apartment.  My Basement was on the right.  Ed and another student rented the 1st floor.

Wiki - Ed_Roberts_(computer_engineer)

W2AEW

I just saw in the ARRL news that Alan W2AEW donated some equipment to the ARRL lab through Tektronix.  Alan produces some excellent videos on his YouTube channel.

Also noticed the Amp Hour shirt Alan had on.  The Amp Hour is a podcast with Chris Gammell KD8RND. This podcast is all things electronic.

BITX Bandpass Inductors

LI, L2 & L3 wound for 2uH for  the BITX band pass on 20 meters.  24 turns of 28 awg magnet wire over off brand T37-6 cores.  The  G4COE inductance chart calls for 26 turns.  Using my meter came out to 24 turns.  This may be due to the EBAY cores.  Hot glue will hold the wraps on the cores.

The original design calls for tap washers used in sinks for the cores.  This was done by Ashhar Farhan VU2ESE the designer of the BITX so Indian hams could get the parts easier.  I had these cores in my parts so I decided to use these instead.

90 Years of IARU & 85 Years of PZK

90 Years of IARU & 85 Years of PZK

Watchlist for ACLOG

Copy and paste to your watchlist.

"3Z85PZK","3Z85PZK, 85 YRS PZK"
"HF85PZK","HF85PZK, 85 YRS PZK"
"SN85PZK","SN85PZK, 85 YRS PZK"
"SP85PZK","SP85PZK, 85 YRS PZK"
"SQ85PZK","SQ85PZK, 85 YRS PZK"
"SO85PZK","SO85PZ, 85 YRS PZK"
"3Z90IARU","3Z90IARU, 90 YRS IARU"
"HF90IARU","HF90IARU, 90 YRS IARU"
"SN90IARU","SN90IARU, 90 YRS IARU"
"SP90IARU","SP90IARU, 90 YRS IARU"
"SQ90IARU","SQ90IARU, 90 YRS IARU"
"SO90IARU","SO90IARU, 90 YRS IARU"

McMurdo Station

No luck on hearing the Christmas carols from McMurdo station in Antarctica.  Maybe next year ....

BITX Transceiver (parts) for Christmas

Christmas Eve 2014 and my parts for a BITX transceiver are wrapped under the tree.  Jayne (my wife) would not let me have them until Christmas day.  I guess this is ok since we had so much going on before Christmas.  The presents are mostly re-stocking items in the shack - resistors & capacitors. I am getting to the point where I chunk the old resistors into a can instead of re-stocking them.

I got the urge to build a BITX from Soldersmoke Bill Meara N2CQR.  I have enjoyed his Podcast for quite a few years now.  Bill and Pete Juliano N6QW have stepped up the Podcast so check it out when you get the chance.




Another item under the tree is an L/C meter purchased via Ebay.  I had to play with this item before I let Jayne wrap it and for $39.89 it seems to do the job.



I am going to build it Manhattan style so I ordered the MeSquares sample pack from QRPme.



The building will begin this weekend so 73 & Merry Christmas!!!

JT65 Generator using DDS and MSP430

Amateur Radio JT65 Generator using DDS and MSP430

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nn-a_ygYPo