I chose a T8 over the SteppIR because I was worried about maintenance AND the cost of the replacement electronic parts. I am afraid that lighting will eat up the SteppIR. As was mentioned, the Tennadynes would be easy to repair. Repairing the choke or straightening or replacing bent elements is your only worry and you can buy aluminum tubing at Texas Towers and other stores.

I ordered a Ham IV rotator on Dec 12. Dec 15 they called and said that it was on back order. I said fine.
Today I checked with them and they had cancelled my order without telling me.
They said that the company is in a transition period and not accepting special orders at this time.

I am not sure how they have stayed in business for 48 years but they won't get anymore of my business.

From my experience, technicians think in terms of electron flow and engineers use conventional flow.
In my two years of community college, electronics was taught with electron flow. After transferring to a university, it reversed direction.

I have to say that it did take me nearly a semester to get used to current flowing from positive to negative.

Once I started teaching EET at a community college, I used electron flow for DC & AC classes and then switched to conventional flow for semiconductors. I never had a student complain  (at least not about that). Since semiconductor symbols are drawn for conventional flow, it is easier to teach theory that way.

73

Donald W5DWH

To the best of my recollection a manufacturer is only required to keep replacement parts available for ten years. Therefore not having replacement transistors available is no big surprise.

"I had to dispose of all of my books, not just because I couldn't read them anymore, but also because I simply couldn't move them and had to leave them behind. Same goes for everything else I owned. If I couldn't carry it all, it would have to be left behind next time I moved. All of my possessions fit in a shoulder bag, and I am able to move out quickly when my situation changes".

The problem with your post is that you come across like you are trying to get something for nothing. You seem to be wanting someone to make you a copy of the ARRL book. That is illegal.
 Every time someone offers you an option, you turn it down. If you are broke enough that $20 makes a difference as to whether you eat or not, WHO CARES ABOUT HAM RADIO! Worry about taking care of yourself. Besides you are already a general, it's not like you don't have a license at all.

If I didn't have enough to eat or a place to sleep I would be selling my equipment as fast as I could.


As far as the ARRL Study Guide goes - it may be better than the Gordon West book but it is not a substitution for a real education. It is impossible to understand electronics from DC Circuits to Communications in 300 pages. To learn electronics in a community college takes two years as well as around 5000 pages of text to cover the material. With your disabilities (as described by you) it would be impossible for you to get anything more than just a very basic understanding of electronics from the ARRL book. You nor nearly anyone else would not even get enough theory to pass the final exam for DC and AC Circuits courses.
Do like everyone else - memorize the questions, pass the exam and then worry about learning the material.

Years ago they rated electrolytics as +80/-20% tolerance so you have plenty of leeway in value.

I have repaired hundreds in consumer electronics and other equipment.

I can offer the following advice.

It is not a problem to use replacement semiconductors from NTE. As was mentioned don't try a NTE 125        ( standard 1N4004 rectifier). You will need a fast switching diode such as a NTE 552, 580 etc.

In most switching power supplies when the main FET blows it takes out the bridge rectifier. Don't be cheap, replace all four diodes even if only two are bad.

After replacing the FET check the source resistor ( it is tied from source to ground). This resistor is typically a .22 Ohm or similiar. This resistor is a precision resistor usually 1 or 2 %. If you don't have the equipment to check it properly, then replace it. If it is out of tolerance the p.s. won't regulate properly.

The main trick in repairing these supplies is to troubleshoot them on a variac. Start out at 0VAC and bring it up slow. Watch your amp draw as well as the DC output voltage.
Most switchers require some kind of load to regulate properly. So I put a load on them as I test them.
For example,the p.s. in a VCR typically needs a 27 Ohm, 10W resistor across the 5V source.
I use a 60W light bulb in a TV. It would be placed across the regulated B+.
What you are trying to do is to put a load on the source that is being "monitored" so that the p.s. knows when to change the freq  or duty cycle of the switcher to maintain regulation.

If your p.s. is designed to maintains its output without a load then just use the variac.

Another common problem is an open startup resistor. Usually around 470k. This resistor supplies startup for the oscillator. You should find it tied to the output of the main bridge.

So the question is, in what year were question banks first used?

Thanks

My question was WHEN did the FCC stop giving the exams?

And WHEN did they start using test banks v.s. actually having to study for an exam.

I know how it works now.............

What year did the FCC stop giving the exams themselves?

What year did the FCC start using question banks for the ham exams?

Thanks

Why don't you post it in Elmers? There is a lot better chance for a beginner to read it there than here. Also it doesn't matter if they are tuning up on EMCOM or any other freq. in use. It is still wrong.....

Thanks.

Reading that article is what got me interested in thinking about using the Stamp for ham radio projects. That project didn't particularly interest me but others might.

73

W5DWH

I am looking for projects using the Parallax BASIC Stamp that are ham radio related- GPS, APRS, temp, humidity,wind, decoding Morse, RTTY, etc.

Got any interesting links or ideas?

73

W5DWH

From what i have observed while repairing tube type radios, I don't believe that it is necessary.
1. Have you ever turned on a tube radio while watching the tubes? They come on slowly not in an instant like a lite bulb.
2. The purpose of the variac for troubleshooting is not  to "save" the filaments. It is to save the power transformer and rectifier tube from excessive loads.

In the antique radio restoration hobby, inrush protection is just something that some people think old radios need, kind of like safety caps.

I leave my stuff original. That's the way it was designed and it has worked that way for over 50 years, thus leave it alone.

73

W5DWH

Sell some of your other hobby equipment on Ebay. Get a part time job.

Your post sounds like you want us to feel sorry for you and give you equipment (i.e. - having to give up food for a radio, why even mention that if that wasn't the point).

As far as being a part of ARES on HF goes:
1. Worry about food, shelter and clothing for the family first.
2. Most emcomm work is on VHF anyway.
3. It  might be a year or many years before you are needed for emcomm work anyway. Get on VHF first and get some experience.