September 2009 - eBuild-A-Thon and BBQ

The September 2009 eBuild-A-Thon and BBQ has come and gone. Even with some rain and a light turn-out, many projects where worked and discussed.

Richard NoCALL worked on this antique look-a-like radio kit, but was unable to get it to receive. It needs a little more trouble shooting.





Steve KD7YTE worked with his Granddaughter, Annie, to build an AM Broadcast Receiver, with a Snap-Together Kit. We later sent more time erecting an long wire antenna for it, than that spent on the kit itself - but, when finished, it worked well.




Annie was sys-op for the Snap-Together Kit AM Broadcast Receiver. She learned that when wires were inadvertently disconnection, things do not work well - That's, Step One of Ham Radio!

Above, Tess is in the background waiting for Annie to get back to playing ball. Tess just does not understand all of this Radio stuff - especially when there is a perfectly good ball to be played with.




John KC7NVE and I scaned a 4:1 balan with several different types of antenna analysers - which confirmed that the balan is real flat up to 26mHz,  as we had hoped.

John calibrated his 100KHz marker oscillator with WWV, using audio from the receiver fed into the computer for spectrum display - which makes the task very easy.  John had several other projects to show and tell.


Charlie K7KN and I setup WSPR on 30m and received many spots, Charlie is planning to do the same from his QTH (Sorry, no photo taken).

For Demonstration, I demo'd the Laser Toner Transfer Process for creating PCB's. See previous posts. Next time around, Charley wants to build a PCB for a Band Edge Marker for his QRSS and WSPR adventures.

UPDATE: After detailed inspection of the PCB created for the demo, I have noticed two copper bridges on the PCB. If this had NOT been just a quick demo, we would have inspected the Laser Toner Image very closely before etching. I have now, also, reviewed the negative Green print and the two bridges are apparent, therefore the problem would have been easily avoided. With only a little more difficulties, this PCB can be salvaged.

Note: this was not a defect in the Laser Print, it was a small "chad" from the Green Sheet that I should have removed.

One of the Copper Bridges is shown

With the good food, I think fun was had by all - Thanks to my sister Carolyn and Richard NoCALL for help with the food.

My dog Tess, just loved ALL of the attention (Charlie, next time throw a ball for her, you will be her friend for life!).

We finished up just before the Heavy Rain Storm.

Thanks to all - It was great - Eldon WA0UWH


Follow up Email:

---

Eldon et al,

Annie, Richard, and I had great fun at today's eBuild-a-thon. Great location! Great rainy-day eating shelter! Great people! Many thanks to Eldon for hosting this event!

Best regards,

Steven

---

I'd like to send along my appreciation to Eldon for hosting the build-a-thon today. Nice spread Eldon! 22 acres of rolling hills/ranch-land with an 8000 sq ft "workshop" The cattle, alpacas, and donkeys were great to see.

I grew up working in my dad's metal products machine shop, but we didn't have the variety of machines that Eldon has. Most impressive was the vertical milling machine!

After spending about 30 minutes getting a thorough tutorial on WSPR ( by the time I left at 1600 hrs 15 stations were hearing Eldon including Japan on 30 meters 1/4 wave with his copper pipe antenna with no ground radials!) we moved on to lunch.

After lunch, the group followed Eldon from start to finish in creating a printed (surface mount) circuit board. He made the process seem so easy. We saw the schematic on screen as it was converted by two programs to laser printed board design on paper, then transfered again on to copper, through a few more steps to the final product. Very impressive.

Thanks again Eldon. Look forward to October.

Charlie

Link to Charlie's photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/splitsky9/BuildAThonImages

---

Eldon,

Thanks again for today's event, to you and Caroline.  I enjoyed meeting you and the guys, had a fun time, and learned some useful things.  You have an excellent setup there at the ranch and it seems like a very nive location.  I hope to see you again next month. Take care, stay healthy.

Rich

---

-

eBuild-A-Thon and BBQ

By Invitation
Eldon Brown - WA0UWH
is again Sponsoring a 

"eBuild-A-Thon and Bar-B-Que"

For Local Area
HAMs and
Hobby Electronic Builders
at 
The Mariah Ridge Ranch
11625 263rd AVE SE 
Monroe, WA 98272
(map)


The Third Saturday of each Month
10:00am - 5:00pm

Aug 15, 2009 - Done
Sep 19, 2009 - Done
Oct 17, 2009 - Done
Nov 21, 2009 - Done
Dec 19, 2009 - Done

2010 Events - Not Scheduled yet

No Admission Charge
Just Friends Having Fun


This is an Invitation-Only Event, 
But, if you have heard me talk about it,
you are invited.


Come Join the Fun; 
Bring a Project, Start a Project,
or Just Eat, Talk and Watch others
with their Projects.

This event is for
Beginners and Experts alike,
Ask, Learn, Teach, Show and Tell.


To help us plan for expected attendance - please sign up below.

Please RSVP Here
(admin)


Additional Presenters, Demonstrations and Facilitators are needed and Welcome ( describe on the sign up sheet ).


In case of inclement weather - lots of covered Bar-B-Que space is available

A Typical Project - A Direct Conversion Receiver

A Quick Project - A Crystal Oscillator

The eBuild-A-Thon

Demonstrations of printed circuit board; drawing and layout, printing, and etching will be provided.

Bring your; Ideas, Projects, PCB  Art work, Laptop or Files, Soldering Iron, Small Tools,  Parts, and Circuit Board Material.

Some parts and circuit board material will be made available on site for purchase.

Power and work bench space are available.


Demonstrated Building Techniques can be included upon request:

• Laser Print Etching
• The Manhattan Style
• The Ugly Style
• The Vector Board
• Surface Mount Techniques

For the beginner, Sample projects will be suggested.

Internet, WIFI, and Laser Printer Service will be available.

A PCB Etch will be available.

Shop and Sheet Metal Tools Available (usable with instruction or your expertise):

• Shears
• Notcher
• Punch
  
• Box and Pan Break

For the more ambitious, other larger tools are available (usable with instruction or proficiency and as time permits):

• Mill
• Lathe
• Drill Press
• Drill Mill
  
• Saws
• Wood Working Shop Tools
  
• Grinder
  
• Buffers
• TIG, MIG Welder and Plasma Cutter
  

Oh yes, the Bar-B-Que:

• A Bar-B-Que fire pit will be provided, bring your own Hamburger or Dogs, and Pop for drinks.
• Buns, Chips and Condiments will be provided.
• After lunch, Walks around the Ranch, up to the Ridge, and to WoodsCreek are suggested, maybe bring a fly rod?

Young builders, 12 year of age or older with building projects, are welcome with an accompany adult ( we love them, but DO NOT have facilities or activities for small children, please leave them at home to play ).

-

pQRP P&C Meeting

The following was reported by Wayne, after our Puget Sound QRP (pQRP) Pie and Coffee (P&C) Meeting, republished here as an archive.

Note: I did not invent the Toner Transfer Process to produce PCB's, I used a lot of information form the WEB, thanks to the many people that have gone before me.



Hello All,

We had a great turnout at P&C last evening, with fourteen of us around the table. Here's the list:

Roger, K7RXV
Jeff, KO7M
Rod, WE7X
Eldon, WA0UWH
Charlie, K7KN
Bob, W8MCJ
Rick, K7MW
Lyle, KK7P
Doug, W7RDP
Rich, AC7MA
Brendan, N0BML
Bill, WA7NCL
John, KC7NVE

Although most of us have been busy with summertime activities, there have been a few projects going on.

Eldon, WA0UWH, has worked out a method for producing PC boards, using an ink transfer method involving a laminating machine. He'll have to explain it in detail for us, but it looks very interesting.

He brought his 40 dB Tap project along for show and tell, also, having cut the PCB material to Roger's specifications and now getting ready to build it.

Eldon is making his shop available to any of us on the 3rd Saturday of each month, for radio or other types of building projects. He has everything from wood working equipment through metal working gear, including a lathe and milling machine.

Lyle has built his RF Test Set, and his lack of output from the DDS board was caused by the fact that his DDS60 is an older one with a different DDS chip and clock frequency. Rich is going to try to adjust the firmware so that Lyle will be able to use the older daughterboard.

I have been so busy with being the Commodore of my local yacht club, hosting company, and the usual summertime activities, that I have not been doing any building projects and have not been on the air, either. My time will free up a lot in late October, and the onset of the rainy and dark season will turn my interests back to the workbench and paddles.

Jeff, KO7M, brought his recently built HF Packer Amp, that he built from a kit, and it is very nicely packaged and will be a nice addition which will give his QRP RF output a good boost to help make contacts in this time of low sunspot activity.

Bob, W8MCJ, came with a box of free stuff like coax cables, some ham related books, and gave a copper ground strip with braided connecting wires to tie rigs together and to ground as a door prize. Lyle gratefully received this unit.

As usual, the discussion around the table was varied and lively, ranging from a little teasing towards Doug, W7RDP, about the recent docking mishap with the Wenatchee, the Washington State Ferry he works on, to various computer programs for MAC and Windows Vista, as well as QRP Radios and operating events.

Bill, WA7NCL, talked a bit about operating in a recent "Bumblebee" event, and made a suggestion for next Salmoncon, saying that since we tend to focus on building projects, we should have an operating event at Bowman Bay, where we each put together a portable QRP station, hike over to the point, throw an antenna over a tree, and operate for a while. Could be a lot of fun.

Rod, WE7X, brought in an award that he and Doug, W7RDP, had won in a recent VHF Contest. Roger, K7RXV, had been along on that trip as well, but didn't operate.

Brendan, N0BML, talked about his building project at Eldon's last shop gathering, which was a homebrew charger unit for his cell phone. Brendan is also practicing CW and getting ready for an upgrade to his license.

If I missed anything, it was simply because there was so much being discussed.

In short, it was another very enjoyable evening.

73,

Wayne NB6M