SpamHog wrote:
Do you know of anyone using a transparent scale scale + lamp + lens +
screen to PROJECT the tuning scale in a homemade device? This would
be so retro cool!

I think you would be the first.


I'd even be tempted to write in the names of a selection of
broadcasters, coastal stations, nets, QPR windows, USN fax, GCSS,
whatever....

But these things change...


I'd rather not mess with film and sprockets (a la Racal, was it?),
while I would ask the local glass shop to cut me a glass pane disk to
my liking, like a foot across.


You'd be better off using a glass cutter mounted in a protractor.
Better yet, I'd suggest using Lucite and a hot knife, working with glass
is way too dangerous for the casual DYI.

As an added benefit, the disk itself would be rigid and stable enough
to act as slow motion drive: I would turn it through a standard sized
rubber covered shaft leaning against its rim, with some nice big knob
on it.

Friction based gear would present you with a severe backlash problem.
You'd go off calibration quite quickly, I'm afraid.


For the scale proper, I'd start with a log scale using one of a number
available free programs, print it on a transparency, and maybe add
frequency marks (& icons, logos, etc.?) manually in a later version.

Good enough for an entertainment receiver I guess, but certainly not
accurate enough to verify that your transmitter is staying in band.

Decent alternatives for retro tuning slow motion drives in ham gear:

1) Plastic planetary gear drives with up to 500:1 turn ratio are
available for about $12 at most hobby shops. Substitute a tuning
shaft for the motor end. Couple the working end to a well-made
dual gang tuning capacitor. Works quite well!

2) Cannibalize a mechanical alarm clock, and build a farm-radio style
tuning mechanism. Use a CD label generator to create a scale: hours
for bands, and then concentric circles for the minutes tuning within the
band.

Good Luck,

The Eternal Squire

SpamHog wrote:
Do you know of anyone using a transparent scale scale + lamp + lens +
screen to PROJECT the tuning scale in a homemade device? This would
be so retro cool!

I think you would be the first.


I'd even be tempted to write in the names of a selection of
broadcasters, coastal stations, nets, QPR windows, USN fax, GCSS,
whatever....

But these things change...


I'd rather not mess with film and sprockets (a la Racal, was it?),
while I would ask the local glass shop to cut me a glass pane disk to
my liking, like a foot across.


You'd be better off using a glass cutter mounted in a protractor.
Better yet, I'd suggest using Lucite and a hot knife, working with glass
is way too dangerous for the casual DYI.

As an added benefit, the disk itself would be rigid and stable enough
to act as slow motion drive: I would turn it through a standard sized
rubber covered shaft leaning against its rim, with some nice big knob
on it.

Friction based gear would present you with a severe backlash problem.
You'd go off calibration quite quickly, I'm afraid.


For the scale proper, I'd start with a log scale using one of a number
available free programs, print it on a transparency, and maybe add
frequency marks (& icons, logos, etc.?) manually in a later version.

Good enough for an entertainment receiver I guess, but certainly not
accurate enough to verify that your transmitter is staying in band.

Decent alternatives for retro tuning slow motion drives in ham gear:

1) Plastic planetary gear drives with up to 500:1 turn ratio are
available for about $12 at most hobby shops. Substitute a tuning
shaft for the motor end. Couple the working end to a well-made
dual gang tuning capacitor. Works quite well!

2) Cannibalize a mechanical alarm clock, and build a farm-radio style
tuning mechanism. Use a CD label generator to create a scale: hours
for bands, and then concentric circles for the minutes tuning within the
band.

Good Luck,

The Eternal Squire

Do you know of anyone using a transparent scale scale + lamp + lens +
screen to PROJECT the tuning scale in a homemade device? This would
be so retro cool!

I'd even be tempted to write in the names of a selection of
broadcasters, coastal stations, nets, QPR windows, USN fax, GCSS,
whatever....

I'd rather not mess with film and sprockets (a la Racal, was it?),
while I would ask the local glass shop to cut me a glass pane disk to
my liking, like a foot across.

As an added benefit, the disk itself would be rigid and stable enough
to act as slow motion drive: I would turn it through a standard sized
rubber covered shaft leaning against its rim, with some nice big knob
on it.

For the scale proper, I'd start with a log scale using one of a number
available free programs, print it on a transparency, and maybe add
frequency marks (& icons, logos, etc.?) manually in a later version.