Homebrew radio
 

The QRZ.com for W0IYH has several improvements to the brief discussion, if
anyone is interested.

Bill W0IYH

The QRZ.com for W0IYH has several improvements to the brief discussion, if
anyone is interested.

Bill W0IYH
You do great photo work as well Bill, that's the sharpest image I think I've
I've ever seen on QRZ. Can almost see where you're tuned to! Looking forward
to finding you on the bands again, will certainly recoignize the call next
time instead of trying to think of where I've heard it before.

My modified IYH MRF-150's are alive and doing well, been a couple years now,
so I think they're in for the long haul. How do you operate without a
monitorscope? Mine is on whenever the rig is on. Instant reminder when I've
forgotten which antenna is selected and the like. (Haven't yet modified my
little STAR to automate that process like I had on my Signal One.)

Regards
W4ZCB

I have a new Sony digital camera 7.2 megapixel that I have been slowly
learning how to use. I shoot pix using a tripod and max megapixel (20
megabytes), then I use a program that creates an optimum JPEG file that
QRZ.com prefers that is a little less than 500 kilobytes. I use an external
diffused flash that works quite well, attached to the Sony. I can shoot a
dozen pix and delete all but the one I want (at no cost for film and
developing).

My push pull MRF150 PA has been faultless for more than 4 years. I clean out
the dust occasionally. The protection circuits all work quite well.
Ameritron has a new 600 W PA that uses 4 MRF150s. I don't want to live that
dangerously. My ancient 30L-1 works beautifully at 600 W. At 800 W it
starts to deteriorate, so just 1.25 dB of ALC keeps it happy.

The 572B tubes are Chinese from RF Parts in L.A., but they use American made
thoriated tungsten filaments and seem to be quite reliable when not abused.
A matched quad costs about $200.

I have everything I need to keep everything working OK but I don't need to
keep it all connected all the time.

Bill W0IYH

"Harold E. Johnson" wrote in message
news:hyEPe.281437$x96.127319@attbi_s72...
The QRZ.com for W0IYH has several improvements to the brief discussion,
if
anyone is interested.

Bill W0IYH
You do great photo work as well Bill, that's the sharpest image I think
I've
I've ever seen on QRZ. Can almost see where you're tuned to! Looking
forward
to finding you on the bands again, will certainly recoignize the call next
time instead of trying to think of where I've heard it before.

My modified IYH MRF-150's are alive and doing well, been a couple years
now,
so I think they're in for the long haul. How do you operate without a
monitorscope? Mine is on whenever the rig is on. Instant reminder when
I've
forgotten which antenna is selected and the like. (Haven't yet modified my
little STAR to automate that process like I had on my Signal One.)

Regards
W4ZCB

From: "William E. Sabin" on Fri 26 Aug 2005 14:09

I have a new Sony digital camera 7.2 megapixel that I have been slowly
learning how to use. I shoot pix using a tripod and max megapixel (20
megabytes), then I use a program that creates an optimum JPEG file that
QRZ.com prefers that is a little less than 500 kilobytes. I use an external
diffused flash that works quite well, attached to the Sony. I can shoot a
dozen pix and delete all but the one I want (at no cost for film and
developing).

Having controlled my "megapixel jealousy," let me suggest a very
easy field-expedient extreme close-up adapter: An ordinary large
magnifying glass. :-)

With an LCD screen now the optical viewfinder replacement on
cameras, a magnifying glass held in front of the lens can be
positioned easily for focus, even with the auto-focus varieties.
It can get in there very close for detail shots of the ever-
shrinking size of modern electronic components. I've used a 4"
diameter office type of magnifier glass with great successs on
close-ups using a Panasonic auto-focus digital camera,
magnifier held in the hand.

Thanks for the info. I'll keep it in mind. My miniature bench vise can hold
the glass steady.

My Sony has a built-in zoom feature that works pretty well. The auto-focus
works OK, but works better with a little background light.

The savings in film and developing costs is a true breakthrough for an
amateur casual photographer like me who needs to do everything at least a
dozen times and likes to see the immediate results.

Bill W0IYH, Life Member IEEE

wrote in message
ups.com...
From: "William E. Sabin" on Fri 26 Aug 2005 14:09

I have a new Sony digital camera 7.2 megapixel that I have been slowly
learning how to use. I shoot pix using a tripod and max megapixel (20
megabytes), then I use a program that creates an optimum JPEG file that
QRZ.com prefers that is a little less than 500 kilobytes. I use an
external
diffused flash that works quite well, attached to the Sony. I can shoot a
dozen pix and delete all but the one I want (at no cost for film and
developing).

Having controlled my "megapixel jealousy," let me suggest a very
easy field-expedient extreme close-up adapter: An ordinary large
magnifying glass. :-)

With an LCD screen now the optical viewfinder replacement on
cameras, a magnifying glass held in front of the lens can be
positioned easily for focus, even with the auto-focus varieties.
It can get in there very close for detail shots of the ever-
shrinking size of modern electronic components. I've used a 4"
diameter office type of magnifier glass with great successs on
close-ups using a Panasonic auto-focus digital camera,
magnifier held in the hand.

From: William E. Sabin on Aug 28, 2:07 am

Thanks for the info. I'll keep it in mind. My miniature bench vise can hold
the glass steady.

Unless you do time-exposures (rare), it is possible to hand-hold
the magnifier without blurring or distortion. The LCD is better
than the 35mm SLR through-the-lens viewfinder in my opinion.

My Sony has a built-in zoom feature that works pretty well. The auto-focus
works OK, but works better with a little background light.

Most seem to be like that...more light the better. I've used a
20 W halogen-bulb mini desk light from the IKEA store for good
Illumination on small subjects. According to the old Norwood
photo meter it has the same output as a 150 W incandescent
flood at 2 feet. ["over 150 W CW above 300 GHz" - :-) ]

The savings in film and developing costs is a true breakthrough for an
amateur casual photographer like me who needs to do everything at least a
dozen times and likes to see the immediate results.

As one who got into "serious" amateur photography in high school
(Class of '51), 35mm route, I have to say it's *FANTASTIC*! :-)

Wife and I got a Panasonic that holds all images on a 3 1/2" floppy
"Super Disk" (over 500 MB) back in 2000. A couple years ago I
started to "take notes" on various projects with that camera, find
it is ideal to show progress, even to show oscilloscope screen
waveforms (tripod or other stable mounting recommended, plus a large
cover cloth to cut out background reflections).

That Panasonic model went off the market but it continues to work
fine. A new Aiptek still/motion-picture we just got cost only a
third of the Panasonic's price; I'm still getting acquainted with
it only two weeks out of the box. Smaller, lighter, it has a
manually-selectable short-range focus capability. The tripod we
use with it (in place of cheap supplied mini-tripod) was bought
by me in NYC in 1952 for use with a Kodak Retina II 35mm range-
finder camera. [sometimes pack-ratting is good :-)]

Bill W0IYH, Life Member IEEE



(also Life Member, IEEE)

wrote:

Having controlled my "megapixel jealousy," let me suggest
a very easy field-expedient extreme close-up adapter: An
ordinary large magnifying glass. :-)

I do closeups the old-fashioned way with my Digital Rebel,
using an extension tube to hold the lens farther away
from the sensor than it would otherwise sit. With such
gear it's easy to blow up an individual component (or
coax connector, or coin, or whatever) to fill the entire
frame.

Never found any EOS-mount extension tubes, so I use an
EOS-to-M42 adapter and my screwmount Pentax lenses and
extension tubes. The Pentax lenses work really well on
a DSLR for general photography, though you have to run
the camera fully manually when you do.

Laura Halliday VE7LDH "Que les nuages soient notre
Grid: CN89mg pied a terre..."
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W - Hospital/Shafte

From: laura halliday on Aug 29, 1:57 pm


wrote:

a very easy field-expedient extreme close-up adapter: An
ordinary large magnifying glass. :-)

I do closeups the old-fashioned way with my Digital Rebel,
using an extension tube to hold the lens farther away
from the sensor than it would otherwise sit. With such
gear it's easy to blow up an individual component (or
coax connector, or coin, or whatever) to fill the entire
frame.

I used to do that with my Exacta VX 35mm SLR and
three extra lenses plus the extension tubes (circa 1954
and duty-free store). Problem is the WAIT and
developing fuss (changing bag, loading the developing
tank, timing out the Microdol, etc.). Then one finds
a few frames less than optimum and those have to be
done over. :-(

As Bill Sabin remarked the digital camera lets one
check the image NOW...and (as I love) do it in color.
INSTANT IMAGING. Gotta love it for visual note-taking
as a project goes through its stages.

Not to mention scope photos done directly, economical
given the cost of digital scopes nowadays. No messy
residue from Polaroid packs as they were as late as in
the 1980s. For easy recording of scope settings, just
refocus, reframe and get the whole front panel in a
second shot. Every setting on the scope's front panel
is right there for reference. [the old changing bag
now does double duty as a background-light shield when
taking scope shots, not the best but it is black...]

A packed-with-printer/scanner/whatever digitial image
editing program can size up the digital photos, make
them black-and-white (if desired), size them...and the
result stored in the PC or on CDs (no emulsion
reticulation worries or wrong "color temperature").
The little camera memory stick (or SuperDisk floppy
in the Panasonic) can then be erased and one has
"recyclable film!" :-)