Still waiting.... Must be a transmitter problem... 

You can order diddle sticks from Amazon, but they don't call them that.


Maybe something like:

http://www.amazon.com/GC-Electronics-18-530-Alignment-Pieces/dp/B000B61CSM/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1316114722&sr=1-2

Greg Mc

I would go with computer printing the QSL info boxes on large Avery labels, then just sticking them on the back of whatever post card caught my fancy. By using a label, you can pre-print as much info as possible, and cover over any undesired printing on the back of the card. If you make a stamp, you'll need cards with sufficient open area to take the stamp.

I like the postcard idea.

Probably a good idea on the water. It keeps the diamond from plugging up and gets the heat out of the glass.

I tried to keep mine as non-invasive as possible. All of the tubes I have are still operable, and sticking the LEDs on the outside is easily reversible.

You do realize that you've just moved to the top of Thor's "Needs a good whack" list, yes?   

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son." - Dean Wormer

Maybe it is. Maybe it's the new American way.

Personally, I'm grooming my honor-student offspring to herd the sheeple and profit from them. Selfish, I know.

Ok. So here's what my LED prototype looks like in the dark. It's actually not so bright in real life. The camera was trying to boost the light level.

http://www.mcconaughey.net/images/PDRM0179.JPG

There are six mini LEDs glued to the back of the tube, right up against the "belt line". It's plugged into the 12V power supply that's always on in my shack. I like that much of the light is actually bounced off of the back wall, rather than shining right in my eyes.

Thanks for the inspiration!

I have at least five or six small "wall-wart" transformers stuffed into my junk box that would suffice for the power supply for mine. Half an amp at 3.5 to 5V would be more than plenty to drive a couple of LEDs. As it happens, I have some surplus LEDs from aircraft dash indicators and they range from almost red to a yellow-orange depending on how much current they get. I'm going to try those first. They may be too red at low-output levels. If so, I may try turning up the power and wrapping them in a couple of layers of polyester tape.

The trick on the wall wart is finding one that doesn't throw a bunch of RF.

It may come off looking like a cheesy Christmas light display, but I'm intrigued now and I just have to try.

Greg Mc

Right there with ya' brother. I have a personal, biological imperative against the water savers. Two of the three bathrooms in my house still have the 1977 water-hog-big-tank models, and they're going to stay that way.

I wouldn't bother with drilling in a nightlight. I would get a couple of LED's in a color range that suits your mood, use some emery cloth to rough up the diffusers a little and just hot glue them to the back side of the tube, shining up through the internal elements.

Actually, I have some antique tubes sitting on the shelf, and I might just undertake this one myself. Should be an easy ambient light for the shack and I can drive it off of the 12V supply with almost no current draw.

Thanks for getting me thinking about this!   

Greg Mc

I have heard about people blowing keying circuits in the FT-897 due to having too much RF on the paddle leads. I always go with shielded cable and wrap through a ferrite a couple of times at the back of the radio. YMMV.

QFT.  ROTFLMAO!

And if you're truly cultured, you can hear the William Tell Overture and NOT think of The Lone Ranger.

Well, (as a consultant would say) it depends.

For me, the experimentation, tuning, testing, frustration and exultation are what I enjoy. I collect junk from everywhere and try to make new things out of it. I can absolutely afford to buy what I need and I would probably get better results in the end, but for me it's the journey, not the destination.

If you're primarily interested in having the best performing antenna in the shortest amount of time, there is probably an answer waiting at the local ham toy store.

If you live to tinker, old TV antennas are a gold mine of free parts. If you don't have the time or urge to experiment for experimentation's sake, buy what you need. Ham radio is about doing what makes YOU happy.

Some memories there. Never had a pointer broken over my head, but when Atilla the Nun (aka Nunzilla) said "Hold out your hands" it never lead to anything good!