Subject: GLOWBUGS digest 434

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 18:35:55 GMT

GLOWBUGS Digest 434

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Phoenix Crystals: The Update!
	by [email-masked] (Tom R. Rice)
  2) Re: Phoenix Crystals: The Update!
	by "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
  3) Crystals without holders?
	by [email-masked] (Jeff Duntemann)
  4) Re: Crystals without holders?
	by [email-masked] (Jeff Duntemann)
  5) Re: Phoenix Crystals: The Update!
	by Arthur Moe <[email-masked]>
  6) Re: Crystals without holders?
	by Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
  7) Re: Crystals without holders?
	by [email-masked] (michael silva)
  8) Crystal kits, maybe?
	by [email-masked] (Tom R. Rice)
  9) Buzzy regen unbuzzed
	by Art Winterbauer <[email-masked]>
 10) Re: Crystal kits, maybe?
	by [email-masked] (Mike McShan)
 11) Plans for my AES "sleeper" tubes
	by [email-masked] (michael silva)
 12) Re: Buzzy regen unbuzzed
	by [email-masked] (michael silva)
 13) Re: Crystals without holders?
	by "Claton Cadmus" <[email-masked]>

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

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 11:05:25 -0800 (PST)
From: [email-masked] (Tom R. Rice)
To: [email-masked] (ba)
Cc: [email-masked] (glowbugs)
Subject: Phoenix Crystals: The Update!
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

	Fellow Boat Anchorites & Glow Buggers:  

	I sent a letter to Mr. Morris with a SAP (Self-Addressed
	Postcard) and received the following response, mailed
	January 28:

	"... We should be switched over and doing amateur xtals
	within next 30 days.  Present holdup is locating HC-6 
	crystal cans -- haven't been able to find a source still
	making them in U.S.  Also we will need to build up our 
	xtal blank bank to fill orders faster, so if you all
	could could let me know what freqs and holders you are
	interested in, it would help.  I'll put you in file so
	you'll get our price list and xtal info as soon as it's
	ready to mail."

	Personally, I don't care what holder he uses so long as
	it can be plugged in to some sort of socket in a ham
	transmitter, but y'all may differ.

	I'm sending in an order for the GB and BA freqs on
	40 and 80 meters, with a request for info on possible
	160-meter rocks.  Let's hope he's inundated with orders,
	which I figger is a good situation when you're starting
	up a new business!

	It might also be a good idea to let him know some details
	about the oscillator circuit(s) you expect to use, as this
	does have some effect on the final frequency.

	Here's the contact info:

			John R. Morris (N0ACS ex W9LSK)
			Phoenix Crystals
			1714 North Ash Street
			Nevada, Mo.  64772

	phone:   1-417-667-6179 (Note: daytime phone is answered 
	by message recorder.  If Mr. Morris is at his shop, that's
	15 miles out from his home, with no phone!)  Possibly he
	may be reached at home after 6:00 PM CST, but I expect
	US Mule is preferred. 

	73 de WB6BYH 
---       	 
"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, 1 Feb 1997 14:01:58 +0000
From: "Brian Carling" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Phoenix Crystals: The Update!
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

GREAT stuff Tom!

THANKS VERY MUCH for posting this good news!!

I wonder if he will be able to make FT-243 crystals for a reasonable 
price? It's hard to think about spendig $12-15 each for them.

If you want to - please let him know that he can probably find out 
where to get the HC-6/U cases by contacting some of the other 
suppliers I have listed i my web site database of crystals
suppliers at the URL address listed below.

All the best - Bry, AF4K

On  1 Feb 97 at 19:05, Tom R. Rice spoke about Phoenix Crystals: The 
Update! and said:

> 	Fellow Boat Anchorites & Glow Buggers:  
> 
> 	I sent a letter to Mr. Morris with a SAP (Self-Addressed
> 	Postcard) and received the following response, mailed
> 	January 28:
> 
> 	"... We should be switched over and doing amateur xtals
> 	within next 30 days.  Present holdup is locating HC-6 
> 	crystal cans -- haven't been able to find a source still
> 	making them in U.S.  Also we will need to build up our 
> 	xtal blank bank to fill orders faster, so if you all
> 	could could let me know what freqs and holders you are
> 	interested in, it would help.  I'll put you in file so
> 	you'll get our price list and xtal info as soon as it's
> 	ready to mail."
> 
> 	Personally, I don't care what holder he uses so long as
> 	it can be plugged in to some sort of socket in a ham
> 	transmitter, but y'all may differ.
> 
> 	I'm sending in an order for the GB and BA freqs on
> 	40 and 80 meters, with a request for info on possible
> 	160-meter rocks.  Let's hope he's inundated with orders,
> 	which I figger is a good situation when you're starting
> 	up a new business!
> 
> 	It might also be a good idea to let him know some details
> 	about the oscillator circuit(s) you expect to use, as this
> 	does have some effect on the final frequency.
> 
> 	Here's the contact info:
> 
> 			John R. Morris (N0ACS ex W9LSK)
> 			Phoenix Crystals
> 			1714 North Ash Street
> 			Nevada, Mo.  64772
> 
> 	phone:   1-417-667-6179 (Note: daytime phone is answered 
> 	by message recorder.  If Mr. Morris is at his shop, that's
> 	15 miles out from his home, with no phone!)  Possibly he
> 	may be reached at home after 6:00 PM CST, but I expect
> 	US Mule is preferred. 
> 
> 
> 	73 de WB6BYH 
> ---       	 
> "Start off every day with a smile and get it over with."  --W.C.Fields
> Tom R. Rice  
> [email-masked]     
> CIS: 71160,1122       
> 
> 
********************************************************
*** 73 from Radio AF4K / G3XLQ in Gaithersburg, MD USA *
**  E-mail to:  [email-masked]                         *
*** See the great ham radio resources at:              *
**  http://www.mnsinc.com/bry/                         *
********************************************************

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

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 15:53:29 -0700
From: [email-masked] (Jeff Duntemann)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Crystals without holders?
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

Hi gang--

In the wake of the appearance of Phoenix Crystals, it occurred to me that
while NEW FT-243 packages may be unavailable, there is a multitude of FT-243
crystals out there for frequencies nowhere near the amateur bands.  I have a
boxful, and there is a company in CA (C&H Sales) that sells bags of surplus
crystals (including many non-amateur FT-243s) for about 50c each in
quantities of 100.

So...why do we necessarily need to buy the holders?  Could a vendor like
Phoenix just grind the crystal itself, ship it to us, and let us drop it
into an available FT-243 case?  The cases aren't sealed and come apart very
easily.  I've ground a few crystals up or down and replaced the quartz in
the holder without any trouble.  (Obviously you need to handle it carefully
so as not to get skin oil on it, but that's not rocket science.)

Is there any reason this couldn't work?

--73--

--Jeff Duntemann KG7JF
  Scottsdale, Arizona

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

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 16:30:54 -0700
From: [email-masked] (Jeff Duntemann)
To: "Adam, KD6POC" <[email-masked]>
Cc: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Crystals without holders?
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

At 03:20 PM 2/1/97 -0800, you wrote:
>Dear Jeff,
>
>How do you grind a crystal down?

I knew that was trouble the moment I clicked on SEND.  What I meant was
that I pulled the quartz and rubbed a little pencil lead on it to pull it
down a little.  Worked about half the time.  Not sure what else to call it;
"pencilled it down"? "leaded it down"?

I'm supposed to be good at words; gotta be more careful.

But I think y'awl knew what I meant...

--73--

--Jeff Duntemann KG7JF
  Scottsdale, Arizona

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

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 16:08:10 -0800
From: Arthur Moe <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Phoenix Crystals: The Update!
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

>
>I wonder if he will be able to make FT-243 crystals for a reasonable 
>price? It's hard to think about spendig $12-15 each for them.
>

Bry and the GB gang,

If my brain is working today, I seem to think my first rock cost
me $3.95 from PR and that was more than I made in one hour's 
work. I don't think that 12 to 15 dollars would be out of line
for good FT 243 rocks, in todays inflated money. 

73's es keep them bruning.
art
KB7WW

.._._

                AT THE END OF THE OREGON TRAIL

Arthur Moe               			ARRL - Life
A.R.S. KB7WW      				SMIRK #733
QTH: Oregon City, Or.				QRP ARCI
[email-masked]				QRP-l #290

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

Date: 	Sat, 1 Feb 1997 14:21:43 -1000
From: Jeffrey Herman <[email-masked]>
To: Jeff Duntemann <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Crystals without holders?
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.970201142013.11992A-100000@uhunix3>

On Sat, 1 Feb 1997, Jeff Duntemann wrote:
> easily.  I've ground a few crystals up or down and replaced the quartz in

We all know about grinding them up in freq'y, but how do you grind
them down????? A bit of solder, or pencil lead can bring them down,
but not very much...
73,
Jeff KH2PZ

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

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 18:36:09 -0600 (CST)
From: [email-masked] (michael silva)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Crystals without holders?
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

>So...why do we necessarily need to buy the holders?  Could a vendor 
like
>Phoenix just grind the crystal itself, ship it to us, and let us drop 
it
>into an available FT-243 case?

Sounds like a fine idea to me (also the owner of some "useless" 
FT-243s...).  The supplier might be concerned about complaints that a 
given crystal he supplied was off by 2 kHz, or didn't quite fit the 
user's holder, etc, but providing a suitable warranty (or non-warranty) 
could be worked out to protect the supplier I know I'd buy some.  In 
fact, everybody who thinks this is a good idea should write to them and 
ask/beg.  Tell them how much labor it will save them :)

73,
Mike, KK6GM

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

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 17:40:04 -0800 (PST)
From: [email-masked] (Tom R. Rice)
To: [email-masked] (ba)
Cc: [email-masked] (glowbugs)
Subject: Crystal kits, maybe?
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

> 
> In the wake of the appearance of Phoenix Crystals, it occurred to me that
> while NEW FT-243 packages may be unavailable, there is a multitude of FT-243
> crystals out there for frequencies nowhere near the amateur bands.  I have a

			<snip, snip>  

> So...why do we necessarily need to buy the holders?  Could a vendor like
> Phoenix just grind the crystal itself, ship it to us, and let us drop it
> into an available FT-243 case?  The cases aren't sealed and come apart very

	You just might have something there.  The gentleman
	has said that plated xtals are more stable and reliable
	than "clamped" (a la FT-243) xtals, so he was focusing
	on that style.  Given his current sourcing problems,
	he might be interested in offering a "crystal kit",
	wherein he could furnish a rock ground (more or less)
	to a specified freq, to be installed in your holder.
	
	I doubt that he could be very precise about the resulting
	freq, however, given that he couldn't control the circuit
	or the holder.  Mebbe we could send him the holder and 
	thus get better freq control?

	I also am going to ask him if, given his lack of xtal
	blanks, he could use the bags of surplus ? mc surplus
	rocks (larger than FT-243) I have hoarded over the years
	with xtal filter thoughts in mind.  Could we send him
	several "recyclable" surplus rocks and get one usable
	one back for a modest fee?

	The one problem is that we seem to want him to work for
	the minimum wage!  I really don't think that 12-15 bucks
	for a custom freq rock is unreasonable, considering the
	amount of labor involved.  Perhaps we'd best wait for his
	info sheet/price list!  

	Just another opinion.......

	73 de WB6BYH  	

-- 
"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, 1 Feb 1997 19:24:47 -0700 (MST)
From: Art Winterbauer <[email-masked]>
To: glowbugs <[email-masked]>
Subject: Buzzy regen unbuzzed
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.95.970201192103.29097A-100000@spike>

I have communicated with several members of this group regarding the
buzzy regen (aka reluctant regen):  cw signals were raspy or
"whispery".

Well, I was moving some stuff around the room, and I plugged the regen
into a different wall outlet.  Voila, perfect signals.  Plugged it
back into the original power strip, buzzy signals again.

The power strip is just one of those ordinary fused ones with the
glowing "on" switch that burned out some years ago.  

Art WA5OES
73!

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

Date: Thu, 1 Feb 1996 23:37:47 -0600
From: [email-masked] (Mike McShan)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Crystal kits, maybe?
Message-ID: <v01540b01ad3752c45cda@[157.142.8.156]>

(snip)
>        The one problem is that we seem to want him to work for
>        the minimum wage!  I really don't think that 12-15 bucks
>        for a custom freq rock is unreasonable, considering the
>        amount of labor involved.  Perhaps we'd best wait for his
>        info sheet/price list!
>
>        Just another opinion.......
>
>        73 de WB6BYH

I have to agree with you.  I just bought some crystals from ICM here in OKC
for $10 a piece + tax for my Drake 2B.  $12 - $15 seems about right for
custom frequencies.

Mike N5JKY
Edmond, OK

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

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 22:32:15 -0800
From: [email-masked] (michael silva)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Plans for my AES "sleeper" tubes
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

I've received my latest AES order complete with assorted 50 cent "I'll 
use these someday" tubes, and it came to me today what to do with them. 
 We have a local park where my youngsters like to drive their trikes 
and there's this picnic table there on a grassy rise among a few trees, 
and every time we go past it I find myself wanting to sit there with a 
little glowbug rig and an antenna tossed into the trees.  Well, with 
the help of the latest AES flyer it's gonna happen.

As of tonight the TX will consist of a 5EA8 (osc. and buffer) driving a 
6AQ5, while the RX will be a regen consisting of a 5EA8 (untuned RF amp 
and possible future heterodyne osc.), another 5EA8 (pentode detector 
and possible triode audio stage) and a 6AN5 audio stage.  While this 
may seem like overkill, I've chosen this lineup because (a) I want to 
experiment with a tuned RF amp vs. a heterodyne oscillator setup (one 
tuned circuit switched or soldered to one or the other, with another 
tracking one driving the detector grid), and (b) it gives me a 12 v. 
heater lineup (the 6AQ5 and 6AN5 in series, and the 3 5EA8s in series 
(just squeaks in within the 10% allowed heater voltage tolerance).  
That way I "only" need to get some HV from a 12v source -- shouldn't be 
too difficult, if I'm allowed to use transistors ;)

Well, that's all I know for now.  Total tube cost is $2.35 including 35 
cents for some used 6AQ5s.  Not that I expect this to be a dirt-cheap 
project, but it'll be nice to put some of those AES throw-aways to good 
use.

73,
Mike, KK6GM

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

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 22:35:35 -0800
From: [email-masked] (michael silva)
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: Buzzy regen unbuzzed
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

>Well, I was moving some stuff around the room, and I plugged the regen
>into a different wall outlet.  Voila, perfect signals.  Plugged it
>back into the original power strip, buzzy signals again.

Gee, I feel like the whole group has given birth to a baby (with Art 
doing all the work and the rest of us just pacing around).  Great news, 
Art!

73,
Mike, KK6GM

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

Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 07:55:53 -0600
From: "Claton Cadmus" <[email-masked]>
To: "Glowbugs" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Crystals without holders?
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>

: So...why do we necessarily need to buy the holders?  Could a vendor like
: Phoenix just grind the crystal itself, ship it to us, and let us drop it
: into an available FT-243 case?  

I think someone should contact Phoenix Crystals and see if he would be
willing to accept a customers used FT-243 holders and re-crystal them to
your desired frequency.  That way he has the holder to work with and can
control all the quality aspects as well as inspect the holder for it's
suitability.  If I were him I would be more apt to say yes to this
scenario then shipping crystal blanks for the user to install in an
unknown holder.  Besides, he then gets to keep the old FT-243 blank which
he may be able to re-cycle!  This could be a great program to really
reduce the costs of FT-243's.

Food for thought!
---
73 de KA0GKC Claton Cadmus
E-mail  [email-masked]
TCP/IP  [email-masked]
Ask me about the Minnesota QRP Society!
http://www.spacestar.net/users/aplitech/mnqrp/

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

End of GLOWBUGS Digest 434
**************************