Subject: GLOWBUGS digest 305

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 18:12:20 -0500 (CDT)

GLOWBUGS Digest 305

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: Glow in the Dark
	by "Dennis L. Edinger" <[email-masked]>
  2) Re: QRP with tubes
	by Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
  3) Re: QRP with tubes
	by [email-masked]
  4) Re: QRP with tubes
	by "James P. Rybak" <[email-masked]>
  5) Re:  QRP with tubes
	by [email-masked] (locale for Marty Reynolds)
  6) Re: QRP & tubes
	by [email-masked]
  7) (Fwd) Re: QRP & tubes
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
  8) Re: glass qrp
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
  9) Re:  QRP & tubes
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
 10) Re: (Fwd) Re:  QRP & tubes
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
 11) Re: QRP with tubes
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
 12) Re: QRP Group
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
 13) Re: QRP & tubes
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
 14) Re: Your List
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
 15) Re:  QRP & tubes
	by john <[email-masked]>
 16) Glowbugs clarification
	by [email-masked] (michael silva)
 17) Re: (Fwd) Re:  QRP & tubes
	by Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
 18) Re:  QRP & tubes
	by Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
 19) need a xtal or 2 (fwd)
	by Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
 20) Hello Gang...
	by [email-masked] (Bruce Hopkins - KL7JAF)
 21) QRP?
	by [email-masked] (Tom R. Rice)
 22) Re:  QRP & tubes
	by Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
 23) copyright laws
	by john <[email-masked]>
 24) Re: QRP?
	by [email-masked] (Stephen M Smith)
 25) Ham Chat
	by [email-masked] (Stephen M Smith)
 26) Re: QRP?
	by Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
 27) Re: QRP & tubes
	by [email-masked] (Michael Herr)
 28) Intro and my rig (long)
	by [email-masked] (Stephen M Smith)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 15:01:16 -0700
From: "Dennis L. Edinger" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Glow in the Dark
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

Brian,

Send an e-mail to [email-masked] to the folks who publish "Electronic
Radio" and request a free copy.  From there you will find leads to both
qrp and boatancher folks as well as other journals of interest.

72

de Dennis/nt0l

Brian Carling wrote:
> 
> Well OK - feel free to have anyone interested in QRP-GITD to contact
> me via e-mail.
> 
> I hope your head feels better now!
> 
> Peace! - AF4K
> 
> > Date:          Wed, 25 Sep 1996 22:13:23 -0700
> > From:          "Dennis L. Edinger" <[email-masked]>
> > To:            [email-masked]
> > Subject:       Glow in the Dark
> 
> > Bry,
> >
> > Yes, we do.  The Colo. QRP Club had a forum on "QRP Glows in the Dark"
> > several months ago.  One of our older members has built and uses designs
> > of the 1920-30's vintage.  There are also a number of Vintage Radio
> > groups that do qrp.  The best source I can give you is Ken KB7ROG in
> > Cheyenne (you'll have to use a server and then get his phone--he has no
> > e-mail).  Ken is in touch with almost everybody (or can get in touch
> > with everybody) who does "GITD" qrp.
> >
> > If you have a problem, e-mail me back.  I've got a migraine at the
> > moment and just can't pull all my thoughts together.
> >
> > You are definately not alone in your interest.
> >
> > de Dennis/nt0l  CQC #202  QRP-L #482
> >
> >
> Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
> [email-masked]
> http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: 	Thu, 26 Sep 1996 16:33:45 -1000
From: Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP with tubes
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960926163307.23237B-100000@uhunix5>

Hi Brian,
It's completely free!!!! They've been discussing regen receivers lately.
Good stuff.
73,
Jeff

On Thu, 26 Sep 1996, Brian Carling wrote:

> Does it COST anything to subscribe to Glowbugs?
> 
> If it does I will stick with my group!
> If it's free I will be right in there
> Thanks
> 
> 
> > Date:          Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:28:50 -0500 (CDT)
> > Reply-to:      [email-masked]
> > From:          Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
> > To:            Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
> > Subject:       Re: QRP with tubes
> 
> > On Thu, 26 Sep 1996, Brian Carling wrote:
> > > Hi guys!
> > > I was wondering if anyone here is interested in builing / 
> > > resurrecting small QRP tube CW transmitter(s)?
> > > There is a small group of us corresponding about such tings via an 
> > > e-mail cc: list - If you'd like to join us in chatting about these 
> > > things drop me an e-mail.
> > 
> > Hi Brian,
> > The Glowbugs email list was created exclusively to combine tubes and
> > QRP; Bob Keys and some others are active on it. To sub, email to:
> > [email-masked]  and only write:  subscribe glowbugs <your name>
> > and you'll be hooked up. Get your group on there so the two groups
> > can join forces!
> > 73,
> > Jeff KH2PZ / KH6
> > 
> > 
> > 
> Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
> [email-masked]
> http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/
> 

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 27 Sep 1996 00:25:39 -0400
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP with tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

the coil is geared to a variable cap so that each covers its entire range in
the same number of knob turns, thereby retaining the correct L/C ratio across
the entire range.  This is nothing new; I'm just replicating the plate
circuit of the (continuous 3-30 MHz) Johnson Viking 2 on a more compact, QRP
scale.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 19:11:59 -0600 (MDT)
From: "James P. Rybak" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP with tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

I've got an Extra Class ticket and have been licensed for 37 years.  My 
operation is 99% CW.  I grew up with tube rigs that had enough space so 
that you could get your fingers and a soldering iron in them (with the 
power off!).  I've got a bunch of old, QRPish xmtr tube circuits that 
I've been wanting to get around to building for a long time.  Maybe if 
there is a little encouragement, I'll quit procrastinating.  Low power rigs 
are of chief interest to me because (among other things)  the components are 
easier to find.

I'm glad to see there is so much interest in low power tube rigs.

Jim Rybak  W0KSD

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 27 Sep 1996 00:46:57 -0400
From: [email-masked] (locale for Marty Reynolds)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re:  QRP with tubes
Message-ID: <199609270446.AAA07691@aa4rm>

I've got one of those tiny Lysco 6aq5 rigs  / Marty

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 27 Sep 1996 02:04:54 -0400
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

Bry,

I just ran across an all band, crystal controlled mobile rig out of the
estate of a fellow ham here. As soon as I fill the tube sockets, I plan to
try it out on the air. I'll let you know how it works.

Darrel, WD6BOR

PS. I can send you a copy of the schematic if you would like. Just post an
address.

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 04:19:12 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: (Fwd) Re: QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
To:            [email-masked]
Subject:       Re: QRP & tubes
From:          [email-masked] (Stephen M Smith)
Date:          Mon, 23 Sep 1996 23:47:15 EDT

Brian, I have 10 Watts (input) on 40.  A 6L6 crystal oscillator with a pi
network.  It is/was my first rig.  I built it in 1967 when I was a
novice.  I scrounged all the parts except the output coupling capacitor
which cost me $0.75.  Come to think of it, I built it from an  article in
a magazine (Popular Electronics or Electronics Illustrated) called "The
Scrounger".

73.......Steve, WB6TNL

Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
[email-masked]
http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 04:58:01 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: glass qrp
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

So John - what types of tubes do you envision using?

I am thinking of using like a 6CL6 or something in a 9 pin pentode as 
my final with maybe a 12AX7 xtal osc/buffer stage.

Now to find a suitable small chassis and power transformer!
Not easy these days! Guess I will need about 200-250 Volts DC

> Date:          Sat, 28 Sep 1996 06:36:17 -0500 (CDT)
> Reply-to:      [email-masked]
> From:          [email-masked] (John D Hensley)
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
> Subject:       glass qrp

> Hi Brian,
> 
> I'm interested in the QRP tube idea in the
> sense that I am interested in WW2 era and
> think it would be interesting to learn how to
> duplicate minimal size or unique or suitcase
> radio gear.  I think that falls into the tube qrp
> class.
> 
> By the way, in the 60's I earned the first WAS
> and first WAC awards issued by QRP Int'l to
> a Louisiana ham.  I still have the certificates.
> Not an outrageous accomplishment, but 
> interesting!
> 
> 73,  Doug
> 
> 
> 
Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
[email-masked]
http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 04:58:02 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re:  QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

> From:          [email-masked] (David Feldman)
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
> Subject:       Re:  QRP & tubes

> Someone is taking the old MILLIWATTs and scanning them into images in
> adobe acrobat, and saving them on CDROM for re-distribution.
> 
> Maybe someone will do that with the old tube project books someday...
> 
> Just a musing...
> 
> Dave

GREAT idea Dave!
Any takers?Anyone know if there are any resources like this out there 
already???

I know that a LOT of hams MUST have page scanners, and a lot of these 
same hams MUST have some old schematics of tube transmitter projects.

They could be scanned in easily and made into .GIF files or .BMP 
files and put up as an archive in an FTP site for anyone to download!

Now THAT would be a GREAT service to the amateur / QRP-TUBES 
community if someone would take it on!

I maintain a resource here that took a lot of work similar to that.

See the ham files available at my URL below guys!

72 de Bry, AF4K
Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
[email-masked]
http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 04:58:02 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: (Fwd) Re:  QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

Of course it is HARD to see a "long out of print book", Dave!

By the way ( QSYing off topic) we have a very good roller hockey 
player down here in Maryland named David Feldman.
He played on a great team with my son, in the Spring 1995.
He's about 18 now.

OK, any chance you can get that 104 projects book scanned?
I think I had some photocopies of some of the articles from that book 
about 20 years ago but they are gone now. I think I got it from the local 
library and copied them!

Wait till you guys here about MY 6L6 and 807 days!

72 de AF4K, Bry

> Date:          Sat, 28 Sep 1996 06:21:13 -0500 (CDT)
> Reply-to:      [email-masked]
> From:          "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
> Subject:       (Fwd) Re:  QRP & tubes

> ------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
> Date:          Mon, 23 Sep 1996 21:51:14 -0700
> From:          [email-masked] (David Feldman)
> To:            [email-masked]
> Subject:       Re:  QRP & tubes
> 
> I did, back in about 1971. A single 50L6 as a 40M oscillator, crystal
> controlled.
> 
> See the now long out-of-print book 104 projects for the radio amateur.
> 
> MUCH FUN!!!!!
> 
> 73 Dave WB0GAZ [email-masked]
> 
> Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
> [email-masked]
> http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/
> 
> 
Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
[email-masked]
http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 04:58:02 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP with tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

OK Jeff - well I think that we are here!!!

> Date:          Sat, 28 Sep 1996 06:34:38 -0500 (CDT)
> Reply-to:      [email-masked]
> From:          Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
> Subject:       Re: QRP with tubes

> On Thu, 26 Sep 1996, Brian Carling wrote:
> > Hi guys!
> > I was wondering if anyone here is interested in builing / 
> > resurrecting small QRP tube CW transmitter(s)?
> > There is a small group of us corresponding about such tings via an 
> > e-mail cc: list - If you'd like to join us in chatting about these 
> > things drop me an e-mail.
> 
> Hi Brian,
> The Glowbugs email list was created exclusively to combine tubes and
> QRP; Bob Keys and some others are active on it. To sub, email to:
> [email-masked]  and only write:  subscribe glowbugs <your name>
> and you'll be hooked up. Get your group on there so the two groups
> can join forces!
> 73,
> Jeff KH2PZ / KH6
> 
> 
> 
> 
Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
[email-masked]
http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 04:58:03 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP Group
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

OK Paul - are you reading us here?
Did you get subscribed to GLOWBUGS OK?

72 de Bry, AF4K

> Date:          Sat, 28 Sep 1996 06:32:06 -0500 (CDT)
> Reply-to:      [email-masked]
> From:          Paul Bernhardt <[email-masked]>
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
> Subject:       QRP Group

> Brian,
>   Please add me to your QRP tube group.  I also have another ham friend 
> at work that keeps talking about QRP so I will ask him if he wants to join.
> Sincerely, Paul Bernhardt, KF4FOR
>            5740 Ridge View Dr
>            Alexandria, VA 22310
>            Phone: 703-960-9656
> 
> 
> 
> 
Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
[email-masked]
http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 05:02:35 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

Hi Stephen.
I am not sure if this GLOWBUGS thing is working.
I am sending all kinds of mail to it and seeing nothing return!

Anyway, you wrote:

> Date:          Sat, 28 Sep 1996 06:28:49 -0500 (CDT)
> Reply-to:      [email-masked]
> From:          [email-masked] (Stephen M Smith)
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
> Subject:       Re: QRP & tubes

> Bry,
> 
> "The Scrounger" is on the variac tonight.  I'm bringing it up in 25V
> increments about 1/2 hour per step.  And guess what else?  The rectifier
> is a TUBE too!  A 5Y3 I think (I can't get a good look at it. "The
> Scrounger" has an aluminum shield cover over the chasis and I don't want
> to take it off to look.  Fancy, huh?)  I had thought that I  had used
> silicon diodes.  Now I have a confession to make.  I really hate tubes. 
> I got that way when I was a young tech and had to keep all kinds of
> boatanchor tube type  two-way radios going for a living.  But I have fond
> memories of using "The Scrounger" so that's why I've decided to bring it
> out of retirement.  I'll keep you posted.  BTW, why don't we get the
> other QRP tube guys to meet in a chat room some time?  WBS has a ham chat
> channel.  Also, I've started writing a giant e-mail to send you regarding
> the 60's, etc., but that'll take a while to finish.
> 
> 73.......Steve, WB6TNL
 
How is that tube monster working out for you?
Have you put it on the air yet? Getting any RF out?

Looking forward to seeing that GIANT write-up. I am going to do the 
same.

Steve - tell us a bit more about that chat channel. I can use IRC but 
haven't been on in a while. Need to know WHICH servers carry it.
How about a schedule for all ofus one Sunday Afternoon or a weekday 
evening?

72 de AF4K 
Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
[email-masked]
http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 06:36:21 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: Rod Pears <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Your List
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

> Date:          Sat, 28 Sep 1996 09:03:05 -0400
> To:            [email-masked]
> From:          Rod Pears <[email-masked]>
> Subject:       Re: Your List

> >My mailer will not handle this many people! We now have about 24 
> >interested! I will E-mail you on how to subscribe to GLOWBUGS soon. 
> >
> >> Date:          Fri, 27 Sep 1996 08:36:27

>Hi Brian..  If your refering to  [email-masked]    I'm already
> there..  73  Rod
 
No, Rod - NOT boatanchors!

It is called [email-masked]

and the list is a lot like BOATAMNCHORS, except for

1) It's FREE!

2) It is specifically for folks that want to do TUBE QRP projects and 
operating!

How about joining us there?

I will follow with great interest your 6AG7 transmitter project.
I want to make something like that only use a 9 pin final tube
like a 6CL6 maybe.
3-5 watts of tube QRP CW would be SO much fun!

72 de AF4K

Brian Carling in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
[email-masked]
http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 12:44:03 -0400 (EDT)
From: john <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked], [email-masked]
Subject: Re:  QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

At 06:58 AM 9/28/96 -0500, you wrote:

>I know that a LOT of hams MUST have page scanners, and a lot of these 
>same hams MUST have some old schematics of tube transmitter projects.
>
>They could be scanned in easily and made into .GIF files or .BMP 
>files and put up as an archive in an FTP site for anyone to download!
>

        I have both, but there is the matter of copyright violation.
It's one thing to copy things to send to a friend, another to actually
republish them on the web without permission.

        Good idea, but I dont want to meet any of Tab's (for example)
corporate lawyers....
        /john
        wb5oau/4

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 09:44:54 -0700
From: [email-masked] (michael silva)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Glowbugs clarification
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

After reading all the mail forwarded from the QRP list I just thought 
I'd clarify that there is nothing specifically QRP about the glowbugs 
list.  Whether you're running 1 watt or 5 or 10 or 25, it's all the 
same here.  Historically I'd say that most homebrew gear from the tube 
era was in the 5-100 watt range, precisely where there's the biggest 
gap today.

73,
Mike, KK6GM

------------------------------

Date: 	Sat, 28 Sep 1996 08:09:18 -1000
From: Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
To: Brian Carling <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: (Fwd) Re:  QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960928080503.3022D-100000@uhunix5>

> Date:          Mon, 23 Sep 1996 21:51:14 -0700
> Subject:       Re:  QRP & tubes
> 
> See the now long out-of-print book 104 projects for the radio amateur.

We've got that book in our library! It's full of 1, 2, and 3 tube
transmitters. Just incredible! I like the one xmtr with a single
tube that uses the wall current for its filament; no power supply
other than a single wire going to the wall socket - you pick the
correct position for the wall plug by watching an NE2 light up;
the wrong way and you have 110vac on the key. Ouch!

73 from Hawaii,
Jeff KH2PZ / KH6

------------------------------

Date: 	Sat, 28 Sep 1996 08:16:02 -1000
From: Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
To: Brian Carling <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re:  QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960928081217.3022E-100000@uhunix5>

We've got two ham projects books in the research library here -
both contain easy-to-build tube xmtrs; I have no scanning
facilities but I could check those books out and mail them
to someone who does (if I check them out now they won't have
to be returned until Feburary - unless someone else recalls
them =:o ).

Any takers? I don't want to see these circuits lost to all future
hams!

Jeff KH2PZ / KH6

------------------------------

Date: 	Sat, 28 Sep 1996 08:35:33 -1000
From: Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
To: Glowbugs List <[email-masked]>
Subject: need a xtal or 2 (fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960928083314.3022I-100000@uhunix5>

From: carl yaffey <[email-masked]>

Just bought a Heath AT-1 and I need to test it. Believe it or not, I don't
seem to have any crystals! I would like to buy at least one for 40 meters
and one for 80. Any body have some to spare? TNX in advance,
Carl K8NU
Carl Yaffey K8NU (ex-W4EZB) [email-masked] 614 268 6353 Columbus OH 
Banjo player for One Riot One Ranger, independent software developer.
                   /~~\\       ,    , ,
                  |#===||==========#***| 
                   \__//            ` `

Hi Carl,
There's an 80M xtal as close as your nearest color TV. If you've got a
junked TV or think that only junk appears on TV these days, yank that
xtal out (3579 kc) and join the fellows that regularly hang out on
the "color burst" 80M net.

73 from Hawaii,
Jeff KH2PZ  / KH6

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 10:45:46 -0800
From: [email-masked] (Bruce Hopkins - KL7JAF)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Hello Gang...
Message-ID: <v01540b00ae7320d8c07c@[204.119.24.82]>

Hi Gang...

     My name is Bruce and the call is KL7JAF... Cut my ham radio teeth on
tubes and am now looking forward to using them again in a QRP venue...
Planning to build the two tube QRP transmitter in the March 1990 73
magazine QRP column... If anyone has experience with this circuit or knows
of a similar but better scheme drop me an e-mail...

     I've really enjoyed the QRP-l reflector and this Glowbug reflector
looks like it could be another winner... Take care and have fun... We have
our local hamfest today so will go see if I can find some parts pieces...

     Hope to see you all on the air this winter with my new/old hand warmer...

72/73/oo's  -  Bruce * KL7JAF

EMPS  QSOs=0  STATES(w/c)=0/0  DX=0
QRP Web Page:  http://www2.polarnet.com/~bhopkins

"Every Man should learn to play the Flute,
     but not well..."

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 11:48:44 -0700 (PDT)
From: [email-masked] (Tom R. Rice)
To: [email-masked] (glowbugs)
Subject: QRP?
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

	I'm not sure that _all_ glowbuggers are QRP-ers.
	At least, I wouldn't consider parallel 1625s 
	or a Class C 807 to be in the QRP class.  

	But the 6T9 on 160 will precede them; that's QRP,
	fer shur.   

	(I'm selling my old Argonaut 509 just to be sure
	that I'm pure; last sand-state unit to go.)  

	73 de WB6BYH     e
	
-- 
"Start off every day with a smile and get it over with."  --W.C.Fields
Tom R. Rice  
[email-masked]     
CIS: 71160,1122       

------------------------------

Date: 	Sat, 28 Sep 1996 08:50:28 -1000
From: Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
To: john <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re:  QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960928084348.5496C-100000@uhunix5>

On Sat, 28 Sep 1996, john wrote:
> At 06:58 AM 9/28/96 -0500, you wrote:
> 
> >I know that a LOT of hams MUST have page scanners, and a lot of these 
> >same hams MUST have some old schematics of tube transmitter projects.

>         I have both, but there is the matter of copyright violation.
> It's one thing to copy things to send to a friend, another to actually
> republish them on the web without permission.
 
But since these books (titled: "104 Ham Radio Projects For Novice and
Technician", by Burt Simon, 1968; and "101 Easy Ham Radio Projects"
by Robert Brown, 1968) are out-of-print and were last published 28
years ago, do you really think there would be a copyright violation
that the publishers would persue? There would be no loss of revenue
to the publishers since the books can't be bought anywhere!

As mentioned before, I don't want these circuits lost to future hams.

Jeff KH2PZ / KH6

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 15:03:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: john <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: copyright laws
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

>>         I have both, but there is the matter of copyright violation.
>> It's one thing to copy things to send to a friend, another to actually
>> republish them on the web without permission.
>> 
>But since these books (titled: "104 Ham Radio Projects For Novice and
>Technician", by Burt Simon, 1968; and "101 Easy Ham Radio Projects"
>by Robert Brown, 1968) are out-of-print and were last published 28
>years ago, do you really think there would be a copyright violation
>that the publishers would persue? 

        Jeff, I have no idea, but I'd not want to find out by copying work
        that I didnt have rights to, and republishing it on the net....

>>As mentioned before, I don't want these circuits lost to future hams.

        Me neither, but that doesn't change copyright laws...

        I've long wanted to re-publish schematics,and other documents on
my web page, for such long lost rigs such as the Johnson series, etc. It would
be a great service, but they just dont belong to me. I have and will send
copies though the mail, but I think republishing other's work on the net
without permission is asking for headaches. YMMV! 
        Best 73,
        /John
       wb5oau/4

 +----------------------------------------------------------+
 |John Brewer              [email-masked]            |
 |WB5OAU/4                 AMI #24              Clayton, NC |
 |Vintage Gear web page: http://www.mindspring.com/~johnmb/ |
 +----------------------------------------------------------+

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 15:37:53 EDT
From: [email-masked] (Stephen M Smith)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP?
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

On Sat, 28 Sep 1996 13:52:02 -0500 (CDT) [email-masked] (Tom R. Rice)
writes:
>	I'm not sure that _all_ glowbuggers are QRP-ers.
>	At least, I wouldn't consider parallel 1625s 
>	or a Class C 807 to be in the QRP class.  
>=snip=

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the tube days, wasn't anything 100 Watts
input or less considered QRP?  I don't think it was until the solid state
days that QRP days that it got reduced to 5 Watts output.

73.......Steve, WB6TNL

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 15:37:53 EDT
From: [email-masked] (Stephen M Smith)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Ham Chat
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

QRP with tubes gang,

Bry and I have thought about a "sched" for this group on one of the
internet chat lines.  It might  be a way for us to get our on-air sched
cranked up too, especially when the conditions are flaky.  Might I
suggest the Webchat Broadcastin System (WBS)?  They have a ham chat
channel already set up.  It is usually pretty quiet there, so I think it
would be a good place to meet.  WBS' URL is:

 http://wbs.net/  

When you go there, if you are not already a user,  just poke the "New
User"  button and follow the prompts to sign up.  Registration is free. 
You will chose your own "handle", which can be your call sign or anything
else you want to use, and a password.  They will e-mail you a
confirmation number which you use to login for the first time.  After
logging in, go to "Home & Living" then to "Hobbies & Crafts" then to
"Amateur Radio".  I have two other suggestions:  (1) After you get to the
ham chat room the first time, bookmark that location so you don't have to
go through the hassle of logging in everytime.  (2) Turn off  "Show
Pictures" or "View Images" in your browser so you don't have to wait
while all the junk is downloaded.  Just using text makes things alot
faster.

That's it.  Let us know what you think.  

73.......Steve, WB6TNL

------------------------------

Date: 	Sat, 28 Sep 1996 11:08:13 -1000
From: Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
To: Stephen M Smith <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: QRP?
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960928105959.14084A-100000@uhunix5>

Yeah, the less-that-or-equal-to 5W output rule for a rig to be in the
QRP catagory is a recent (historically speaking) requirement. It's all
relative of course, for 25W is QRP when the other fellow is running 
250W. Maybe for glowbuggers, we should call 25W *output* QRP.

I've always been fascinated with those folks who run *millawatt* rigs!
They must have ranch-size antenna.

Jeff KH2PZ / KH6

Stephen M Smith wrote:
> [email-masked] (Tom R. Rice) writes:

> >	I'm not sure that _all_ glowbuggers are QRP-ers.
> >	At least, I wouldn't consider parallel 1625s 
> >	or a Class C 807 to be in the QRP class.  
 
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the tube days, wasn't anything 100 Watts
> input or less considered QRP?  I don't think it was until the solid state
> days that QRP days that it got reduced to 5 Watts output.
> 73.......Steve, WB6TNL

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 15:56:35 -0700 (PDT)
From: [email-masked] (Michael Herr)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: QRP & tubes
Message-ID: <v01530500ae744cbdbe1a@[199.120.150.83]>

>Brian Carling wrote:
>>
>> Is anyone else using TUBES to generate their QRP signals???
>> Bry, AF4K
>====================
Bry:
   Yes, we're out here!. At the present time I am using a single tube rig
using a 3A4, rock controlled. I am having a ball with it. Power is in the 1
watt range, using battery power. What I have is a bunch of 9 volt batteries
in series for the B+ and a couple of D cells for the filiments. I did add a
keying relay cuz I remember getting across the key in years past and
getting bit enuf to want to avoid that. This winter I hope to add a second
tube for the oscillator, probably a 1S4, and use the 3A4 as the final,
kinda clean up the chirp a little. Also hope to wind the coils for 160 and
30 as well.
    For receive I'm using a old Heathkit GR-81 regen receiver I built as a
kid. I hAve a few problems with it but hope to get them cleaned up soon.
Give it a shot, it's a blast!
73
Mike WA6ARA

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 15:03:14 EDT
From: [email-masked] (Stephen M Smith)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Intro and my rig (long)
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

Hello QRP w/tubes gang,

My name is Steve and my call is WB6TNL.  I was originally licensed in
1967 as WN6TNL via my high school amateur radio club.  My hobby led to my
career in land mobile radio and I currently am the owner of  Signal
Communication Services, a two-way radio sales and service firm in Oxnard,
CA about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

I got involved in this 'QRP With Tubes' thing after a post by Bry, AF4K
on QRP-L about any folks using tube-type gear for QRP.

I'm not really that thrilled about tube stuff, having been burned out
when I was a young tech. trying to keep old tube-type two-way radios
running.  But I had been thinking about dragging out an old transmitter
that had been stored up on a shelf in the garage for over 20 years and
Bry's query pushed me past the thinking stage.

My rig is a 6L6 crystal oscillator on 40 meters.  It is/was my first rig.
 I built it from plans in Popular Electronics.  I think the issue was in
1967 but I don't know the month.  The article was entitled "The
Scrounger" and that is the name of my rig.  The original article had the
transmitter built on an 8" X 8" cake pan (makes me wonder how many wives
or mothers were wondering what happened to their cake pans in 1967.).  I
built my copy on an aluminum chasis and I scrounged all the parts from my
school radio club except for the plate coupling capacitor which I paid
$.075.  The plans called for mounting the plate and loading capacitors
and the pi-net. coil exposed on top of the chasis, and that is what I did
although there was plenty of room inside my chasis for those parts.  But
I didn't know what I was doing then and I followed the plans closely so
that I had some hope of it working right the first try.  I wound the coil
on a toilet paper roll with plastic covered bell wire.  The power supply
is on-board and consists of a 235-0-235 military surplus power
transformer, 5Y3 rectifier and a capacitor input filter network.  The
filter is interesting in that I couldn't find the proper value
electrolytics (30uf @ 450V) but I did have plenty of new 30/30 @ 300V
dual section jobs.  So I series/paralleled them for two sections of 30 @
600V, plenty of margin.  I covered the caps. that are above ground with
electrical tape and held the whole bunch under the chasis with a strap
made from a piece of 14 ga. house wire.  I scrounged the filter choke
from an old B.C. band auto radio (repairing car radios is how a made some
of my spending money when I was a kid.  I was a hero with all my buddies
who had cars.).

Well, "The Scrounger" worked fine right off the bat.  I started out with
a crummy vertical  ant. with no radials and soon graduated to an inverted
vee up about 12' at the ends.  My first receiver was a Philmore (I think
the model was SW-7or something like that)  short wave receiver kit.  My
dad and I built it.  It had 7 tubes and was pretty much a piece of junk
even when new.  I made a couple of contacts with that and then I
discovered an ARC 5 in the junk at the radio club.  I also found some
books that covered converting the ARC 5 for ham use.  I made all the mods
and fired that baby up.  Man, I was living!  I could copy the world. 
What a nice, stable receiver compared to the Philmore.  I made tons of
contacts with that setup and later 'graduated' to a BC 342 receiver and a
home brewed 12BY7/807 rig ( I still have the transmitter).  

I made a couple changes to "The Scrounger" during the time I used it.  I
had some TVI and I couldn't get the loading to my satisfaction, so I
changed the pi-net coil to a piece of B & W coil stock and later, with
the help of my dad who could make just about anything, added an aluminum
shield cover over the chasis.  I added a 100 ma plate current  meter,
having previously just used an incandescent lamp in series with the plate
feed, watching the lamp brighten and dim while 'dipping and loading'.  
The finishing touch was a Collins "wings" emblem on the front (hey, I was
just a kid and at the time I figured that was as close as I would ever
get to owning a piece of Collins gear!).  That is the condition of the
rig today.

So now I've dusted off my little beastie.  I put it up on the bench and
plugged it into a variac the other night and brought up the voltage very
slowly in about 20 V increments over several hours.  The filaments and B+
came up just fine.  I hooked it up to one of our Termaline Wattmeters and
keyed it up.  The plate meter went up, I turned the plate tuning
cap.,.....nothing.  "Nuts, wonder what's wrong?"  I fiddled around for a
little bit, rechecked the voltages and filaments, all OK.  Well, it helps
to have a crystal plugged into the socket! (Doh!)  Plugged the xtal in,
tuned the plate tuning....RF!  I managed to get him up to about 2 Watts
on a 25-800 mHz Wattmeter, so I figure it's really about 3 Watts.  The B+
drops from about 335 V at idle (no bleeder resistors, oops!  I'll add
those later) to about 175 V keyed and the plate current is about 30 ma. 
for an input of about 5 Watts.  The loading capacitor is almost fully
meshed for maximum output into a 50 Ohm load so maybe I need to change
the tap on the inductor to get the loading cap. more 'in range'.  Not
spectacular, but it's a start!  

So, now my questions are:  What should be an OK voltage drop across the
5Y3?  And if 175 Volts DC is what I can expect with 470 VAC into the 5Y3,
what kind of plate current should I expect from the 6L6.  I had always
thought that I was running about 10 Watts input, but I don't think I ever
measured the B+ under load correctly.  I had assumed that I was running
over 300 volts, key down.  At 30 ma, that would have made my input around
10 Watts.  If indeed I had been putting out only 3 Watts all that time, I
made some darned good QRP contacts with that rig!  I talked all over the
country with that thing.

So, I don't want to make too many changes to the rig because I'd like to
keep it in
the same basic condition as I built and used it.  I am going to add
bleeders for safety and better B+ regulation and I was thinking about
changing the rectifiers to silicon, but if I can get it up to 10 Watts
input with this setup, I'll be happy.  Maybe the tubes are tired, but the
plate current and B+ are steady under load, so I don't know.

Well,  I probably won't do anything more with tubes than operate with
"The Scrounger" and maybe I'll  dust off the 12BY7/807 rig too.  I do
appreciate all you other guys who are into building and operating tube
stuff, however, especially C.W. transmitters.  I am willing to help in
anyway that I can, and I'll be posting stuff about where to get parts,
etc.  Mail me anytime. That's it for now.  I'll be looking forward to
hearing from you and I hope to talk to you on the air sometime.  I'll
keep you posted on my progress.

73.......Steve, WB6TNL

------------------------------

End of GLOWBUGS Digest 305
**************************