On Mar 3, 2:40�pm, Michael Coslo wrote:
wrote:

You're just several pieces of brass and leather
away from steampunkin' it, Jim!

But I don't wanna be a steampunk!

Of course you can arrange your station to your own aesthetic 8^)

Actually, Steampunk is only a few pieces of brass and leather away
from my aesthetic...

But see above about "form follows function" and "aesthetically
pleasing without any added ornamentation". Would adding
brass and
leather make any difference in rig performance?
Or are they only for
looks?

�Well, now you open a interesting subsubject!

Actually I think it's the whole subject....

The addition of brass to a
station is one of those choices that does not necessarily defeat
function.

Agreed - but in the Triple-F aesthetic (hereafter referred to as
"The Southgate School" or TSS), not defeating function isn't enough.
All choices must enhance or support functionality.

TSS also involves the use of available materials and techniques,
usually from non-traditional sources. The rig pictured on my website
(known as the Southgate Type 7) was built almost entirely from reused/
recycled/recovered parts found at hamfests and in junkpiles. A few
crystals were bought new, as was the solder, but that's about it. The
main tuning capacitor is from a junked BC-221 frequency meter; the
dial drum is cut from a piece of Perspex tubing 6" in diameter that
came from a piece of industrial equipment, the VFO box was made (by
hand - hacksaw & flat file) from scraps of 3/32" thick aluminum plate,
etc., etc.

IOW, "found objects".

There needs to be a chassis to place components on or in. Is
aluminum or steel or plastic more functional than brass?

Depends on the application.

For things like power supplies, steel is preferred due to greater
strength and some level of magnetic shielding. But steel must be
painted, plated or otherwise finished to prevent rust, particularly in
a basement shack where humidity may be high.

For things like transmitters and receivers (TSS does not normally use
built-in power supplies because they usually decrease functionality),
aluminum is preferred because of its light weight, corrosion
resistance, higher conductivity and ease of working.

Brass has good conductivity and is easy to work, but it is heavy,
expensive, and rarer than aluminum or steel. There is some use of
brass in TSS, mostly for specialized applications where aluminum is
too soft and plating or painting steel is not practical. For example
in the Southgate Type 7, there is a shaft extender from the tuning
capacitor which I made from brass. You don't see it but it's there.

there might be
some technical reasons fort one over the other, but in the end,
they are a support structure.

Agreed. I have used wood as well, in applications where shielding
wasn't important, or could be obtained in other ways.

An example is the copper plated chassis found in
some radios. Pretty cool. But I wonder how much "worse" they
would
perform if they weren't plated?

Copper plating of steel chassis (Drake is a prime example) was done
for a couple of reasons. One was corrosion protection; since the steel
had to be coated with something to prevent rust. Unlike most paints,
copper plating is conductive, so shields and components mounted to the
copper-plated chassis would make a good chassis connection. Another
plus is the ability to solder directly to the chassis.

But copper plating has disadvantages too. One is that the copper
tarnishes over time. Another is that any break in the plating can set
up electrolytic corrosion. There's also the cost and relative
impracticality of copper-plating at home.

What Drake and others did was to plate the chassis after all the holes
were punched. That's fine for production-line manufactured rigs, but
if there's a possibility of future changes that require new holes, the
plating would be broken. So I stick with aluminum, steel, and
sometimes plastic and wood.

Keeping in mind that fff could be used to not allow any
embellishment,
such as staining, finishing, we have to make sure we don't
minimalize
things out of existence.

TSS is about simplicity and functionality, not minimalism. If staining
or finishing improves the functionality, it is done. For example, the
shack tabletop consists of a layer of oriented strandboard (for
strength) topped by a layer of masonite (for a smooth hard surface).
This combination (actually a composite) was chosen because it was the
least expensive at the time. The masonite was given a couple of coats
of varnish because doing so improved the functionality.

I once went to a classroom where a true minimalist had hung a
data projector from the ceiling from wires. Problem was, the fan
would
push the projector, only as far as the wires would allow, and it
made a
pendulum. People were getting seasick!

There's a textbook example of form *not* following function! The
purpose of the data projector support is to hold the projector at the
proper place so it can do its job, and if the image isn't rock-steady
the appearance doesn't matter.

� Same for leather - would the speaker sound better?

�well, possibly could make for some vibration damping.

Possibly. I've had some experience building speaker cabinets (clones
of the Altec A-7 "Voice of the Theater", JBL folded horns, for
example) and the trick is to build solid from the beginning.

My thoughts are to make a setup that incorporates the
aesthetic in a
fashion that is applicable to the situation.

Which is the basis of Triple-F. You're not far from joining TSS!

The equipment has to sit on
something, so it will be made in a fashion that involves natural
materials, and brass will be used where needed.

There's the key: "where needed".

I'm not going to remove
my radios from their cases and build wooden boxes around them.

OTOH, wood can be a good cabinet for a rig that doesn't have one.

I don't
plan on overly embellishing the station, my goals are
a warm feeling with an antique look where practical.

I've always wondered what the fascination with "antiques" is. I can
understand the fascination with craftsmanship, design, practicality
and materials, though.

The term I would use is "classic" or "timeless". Look at some Mission
or Shaker furniture - it does not appear "antique" or dated. That's
what TSS is all about, applied to Amateur Radio (and a limited
budget!)

For another example, look at the classic Hitchcock film "Rear Window".
Even though it is more than 50 years old, the overall look of James
Stewart's New York apartment, the clothes, the cameras, and all the
other details are so classic that you'd want to live there today.
(Having Grace Kelly stopping by doesn't hurt either!)

Yet "Vertigo", made just a few years later by mostly the same people
(Hitchcock, Stewart), looks very kitschy and dated by comparison.

---

Perhaps the biggest challenge is that our hamshacks are usually works
in progress, rather than fully complete, so flexibility has to be
designed in too.

73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:
On Mar 3, 2:40�pm, Michael Coslo wrote:
wrote:

Agreed - but in the Triple-F aesthetic (hereafter referred to as
"The Southgate School" or TSS), not defeating function isn't enough.
All choices must enhance or support functionality.

Gotcha, Jug!

TSS also involves the use of available materials and techniques,
usually from non-traditional sources. The rig pictured on my website
(known as the Southgate Type 7) was built almost entirely from reused/
recycled/recovered parts found at hamfests and in junkpiles. A few
crystals were bought new, as was the solder, but that's about it. The
main tuning capacitor is from a junked BC-221 frequency meter; the
dial drum is cut from a piece of Perspex tubing 6" in diameter that
came from a piece of industrial equipment, the VFO box was made (by
hand - hacksaw & flat file) from scraps of 3/32" thick aluminum plate,
etc., etc.

IOW, "found objects".

If you're willing to get dirty and are patient, it is possible to save a
bundle by using other people's castoffs.

There needs to be a chassis to place components on or in. Is
aluminum or steel or plastic more functional than brass?

Depends on the application.

For things like power supplies, steel is preferred due to greater
strength and some level of magnetic shielding. But steel must be
painted, plated or otherwise finished to prevent rust, particularly in
a basement shack where humidity may be high.

I'm going to use an old computer tower for a chassis/cabinet for a pair
of 4-400's I plan to build.

Brass has good conductivity and is easy to work, but it is heavy,
expensive, and rarer than aluminum or steel. There is some use of
brass in TSS, mostly for specialized applications where aluminum is
too soft and plating or painting steel is not practical. For example
in the Southgate Type 7, there is a shaft extender from the tuning
capacitor which I made from brass. You don't see it but it's there.

If you're building something small, try hobby shops. They often have
bins of both brass, copper and aluminum sheet in various thicknesses
along with round and square tubing and rod of the same materials.

there might be
some technical reasons fort one over the other, but in the end,
they are a support structure.

Agreed. I have used wood as well, in applications where shielding
wasn't important, or could be obtained in other ways.

Wood with a thin sheet of flashing aluminum is one way to get the shielding.

But copper plating has disadvantages too. One is that the copper
tarnishes over time. Another is that any break in the plating can set
up electrolytic corrosion. There's also the cost and relative
impracticality of copper-plating at home.

You can find a number of Heath and Drake units with really good looking
plating. I suspect that the problem units were stored in areas of high
humidity.

What Drake and others did was to plate the chassis after all the holes
were punched. That's fine for production-line manufactured rigs, but
if there's a possibility of future changes that require new holes, the
plating would be broken. So I stick with aluminum, steel, and
sometimes plastic and wood.

I think home plating of a large chassis would be so very time consuming
that not many would bother. It is also much easier to work aluminum
than steel. I wouldn't hesitate to break the copper plating for
modifying/repairing such equipment. A touch of lacquer on the edges
would keep air and humidity from getting to the steel.

TSS is about simplicity and functionality, not minimalism. If staining
or finishing improves the functionality, it is done. For example, the
shack tabletop consists of a layer of oriented strandboard (for
strength) topped by a layer of masonite (for a smooth hard surface).
This combination (actually a composite) was chosen because it was the
least expensive at the time. The masonite was given a couple of coats
of varnish because doing so improved the functionality.

The tempered Masonite, no doubt. The front panel of W4JBP's 1941
homebrew transmitter is of that stuff, painted black.

Possibly. I've had some experience building speaker cabinets (clones
of the Altec A-7 "Voice of the Theater", JBL folded horns, for
example) and the trick is to build solid from the beginning.

I've shared the experience and still remember all of the kerfing that
went into getting those curves right. Add a 15" Electrovoice SRO
speaker (which was about 3db better than anything else on the market at
the time), top is with some massive horn tweeters and you had something.

I've always wondered what the fascination with "antiques" is. I can
understand the fascination with craftsmanship, design, practicality
and materials, though.

I think there a couple of classes of antique furniture items. There are
those things which can only be viewed and those things which can be
used. A small, antique ladies chair might not be something you could
use, but an antique dining room suite or an antique sideboard can be
quite utilitarian.

The term I would use is "classic" or "timeless". Look at some Mission
or Shaker furniture - it does not appear "antique" or dated. That's
what TSS is all about, applied to Amateur Radio (and a limited
budget!)

I had to grin. I believe that 2x4's, 4x4's, plywood or hollow core
doors will never go out of style. There's no "Captain Nemo walking into
his cabin on the Nautilus" look here, but the place is attractive and
utilitarian.

Dave K8MN

Dave Heil wrote:

I'm going to use an old computer tower for a chassis/cabinet for a pair
of 4-400's I plan to build.

I shouldn't post late at night when I'm tired. What I meant to say was
that I plan to use the old computer tower for the power supply, not the
entire amp.

Dave K8MN

On Mar 5, 3:20Â pm, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 3, 2:40�pm, Michael Coslo wrote:

Agreed - but in the Triple-F aesthetic (hereafter referred to as
 "The Southgate School" or TSS), not defeating function isn't enoug
h.
All choices must enhance or support functionality.

Gotcha, Jug!

Marcellus? Is that you?

IOW, "found objects".

If you're willing to get dirty and are patient, it is possible to save a
bundle by using other people's castoffs.

Not only that, but make a dent in the enormous waste stream.

I'm going to use an old computer tower for a chassis/cabinet for

[the power supply of]

a pair
of 4-400's I plan to build.

You want a Southgate type number for it?

If you're building something small, try hobby shops. Â They often have

bins of both brass, copper and aluminum sheet in various thicknesses
along with round and square tubing and rod of the same materials.

Yes, but they want you to *buy* the stuff! My adapters were made from
scraps.

Wood with a thin sheet of flashing aluminum is one way to get the shieldin
g.

BTDT, except used old litho plates turned print-side-in.

TSS is about simplicity and functionality, not minimalism. If staining
or finishing improves the functionality, it is done. For example, the
shack tabletop consists of a layer of oriented strandboard (for
strength) topped by a layer of masonite (for a smooth hard surface).
This combination (actually a composite) was chosen because it was the
least expensive at the time. The masonite was given a couple of coats
of varnish because doing so improved the functionality.

The tempered Masonite, no doubt. Â The front panel of W4JBP's 1941
homebrew transmitter is of that stuff, painted black.

Exactly. Wood prices have changed, though; today a tabletop might be
AC plywood.
Depends what's on the cull cart.

Possibly. I've had some experience building speaker cabinets (clones
of the Altec A-7 "Voice of the Theater", JBL folded horns, for
example) and the trick is to build solid from the beginning.

I've shared the experience and still remember all of the kerfing that
went into getting those curves right. Â Add a 15" Electrovoice SRO
speaker (which was about 3db better than anything else on the market at
the time), top is with some massive horn tweeters and you had something.

The ones I helped build in the 1960s are still in service.

I've always wondered what the fascination with "antiques" is. I can
understand the fascination with craftsmanship, design, practicality
and materials, though.

I think there a couple of classes of antique furniture items. Â There
are
those things which can only be viewed and those things which can be
used. Â A small, antique ladies chair might not be something you could

use, but an antique dining room suite or an antique sideboard can be
quite utilitarian.

The former belongs in a museum, the latter in a home.

The term I would use is "classic" or "timeless". Look at some Mission
or Shaker furniture - it does not appear "antique" or dated. That's
what TSS is all about, applied to Amateur Radio (and a limited
budget!)

I had to grin. Â I believe that 2x4's, 4x4's, plywood or hollow core
doors will never go out of style.

I rip 2x4s in half lengthwise; they're all you need for most shack
furniture. Also do an offset cut that gives one piece 1-1/2" square
and another that's 2x1-1/2" from a single 2x4. Table saw makes it
easy.

I did one table with a hollow core door many years ago (it was free)
but they are too flimsy and too expensive for TSS approval now.

The shack table in the website picture was designed for Field Day use,
25 years ago. The top was the maximum size that would fit in the back
of a VW Rabbit with the rear seat taken out. All the legs and braces
are bolted on in such a way that the whole thing breaks down into one
package. Does the job for now but a replacement is in the works.
Maybe.

 There's no "Captain Nemo walking into
his cabin on the Nautilus" look here, but the place is attractive and
utilitarian.

IMHO the true art of a hamshack is having things set up in such a way
that you just want to sit down and start operating as soon as you see
the place.

73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:
On Mar 5, 3:20� pm, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 3, 2:40�pm, Michael Coslo wrote:

Agreed - but in the Triple-F aesthetic (hereafter referred to as
� "The Southgate School" or TSS), not defeating function isn't enoug
h.
All choices must enhance or support functionality.
Gotcha, Jug!

Marcellus? Is that you?

Complete with insignia!

IOW, "found objects".
If you're willing to get dirty and are patient, it is possible to save a
bundle by using other people's castoffs.

Not only that, but make a dent in the enormous waste stream.

There's no one who can reduce a waste stream like West Africans. The
seams in Coke cans are opened after the tops and bottoms are removed and
the cans are rolled flat. The become roofing material or house siding.
Black trash bags are washed and recycled. Pop bottles become water
bottles and used 55-gallon drums (previous contents unknown) are used
for making palm or cashew wine.

I'm going to use an old computer tower for a chassis/cabinet for

[the power supply of]

a pair
of 4-400's I plan to build.

You want a Southgate type number for it?

I think that'd be appropriate.

The upright case has a full metal cover, space for a cooling fan and a
shelf which can hold the rectifier board and electrolytic caps. The
bottles aren't U.S. types, they're Phillips equivalents with graphite
plates. They should hold up for a long time. I'll use Chinese
Coleman-type lantern chimneys.

If you're building something small, try hobby shops. � They often have

bins of both brass, copper and aluminum sheet in various thicknesses
along with round and square tubing and rod of the same materials.

Yes, but they want you to *buy* the stuff! My adapters were made from
scraps.

Some of us would have to buy stuff in order to have scraps. I've found
that the hobby shop stuff is not terribly expensive. They also have
round, square and sheet plastic stock. Some is clear and some is
translucent--ideal for making dial scales.

Wood with a thin sheet of flashing aluminum is one way to get the shieldin
g.

BTDT, except used old litho plates turned print-side-in.

Heck, I wouldn't even know where to find an old lithographic plate these
days. I have leftover aluminum flashing stock from, well--flashing.

TSS is about simplicity and functionality, not minimalism. If staining
or finishing improves the functionality, it is done. For example, the
shack tabletop consists of a layer of oriented strandboard (for
strength) topped by a layer of masonite (for a smooth hard surface).
This combination (actually a composite) was chosen because it was the
least expensive at the time. The masonite was given a couple of coats
of varnish because doing so improved the functionality.

The tempered Masonite, no doubt. � The front panel of W4JBP's 1941
homebrew transmitter is of that stuff, painted black.

Exactly. Wood prices have changed, though; today a tabletop might be
AC plywood.

Depends what's on the cull cart.

I don't have a place with a cull cart. I've sometimes bought
ugly-looking plywood and topped a desk with vinyl floor tile. If you
want to fancy one up, hardwood veneer isn't too pricey.

Possibly. I've had some experience building speaker cabinets (clones
of the Altec A-7 "Voice of the Theater", JBL folded horns, for
example) and the trick is to build solid from the beginning.
I've shared the experience and still remember all of the kerfing that
went into getting those curves right. � Add a 15" Electrovoice SRO
speaker (which was about 3db better than anything else on the market at
the time), top is with some massive horn tweeters and you had something.

The ones I helped build in the 1960s are still in service.

I'm pretty sure the ones we did in 1973 are still in use in Cincinnati.
I had a big Jensen folded horn cabinet in Tanzania. It had a dual
voice coil 12" subwoofer in it. That's still in Africa.

I've always wondered what the fascination with "antiques" is. I can
understand the fascination with craftsmanship, design, practicality
and materials, though.
I think there a couple of classes of antique furniture items. � There
are
those things which can only be viewed and those things which can be
used. � A small, antique ladies chair might not be something you could

use, but an antique dining room suite or an antique sideboard can be
quite utilitarian.

The former belongs in a museum, the latter in a home.

Not everyone lives like us, Jim. Some folks have houses large enough to
be homes *and* museums and the wherewithal to populate the place with
both types of antiques. I can appreciate antiques as art but we don't
have enough room for antiques we can't put to use unless they happen to
be art for the wall or items which can sit on a table for the most part.

The term I would use is "classic" or "timeless". Look at some Mission
or Shaker furniture - it does not appear "antique" or dated. That's
what TSS is all about, applied to Amateur Radio (and a limited
budget!)

I had to grin. � I believe that 2x4's, 4x4's, plywood or hollow core
doors will never go out of style.

I rip 2x4s in half lengthwise; they're all you need for most shack
furniture. Also do an offset cut that gives one piece 1-1/2" square
and another that's 2x1-1/2" from a single 2x4. Table saw makes it
easy.

You're a lightweight! My main operating position is representative of
overkill. The frame is 2x4's; the legs are 4x4's and the top is a
hollow core door. There's a two shelf console with two angled wings,
with enough roof under the first shelf for solid-state brick VHF/UHF
amps, keyers, paddles, DVK and the like.

Did I mention the six foot rack to my right?

I did one table with a hollow core door many years ago (it was free)
but they are too flimsy and too expensive for TSS approval now.

They hold up well with the 2x4 frame and 2x4 bracing.

The shack table in the website picture was designed for Field Day use,
25 years ago. The top was the maximum size that would fit in the back
of a VW Rabbit with the rear seat taken out. All the legs and braces
are bolted on in such a way that the whole thing breaks down into one
package. Does the job for now but a replacement is in the works.

Mine will break down too, but I don't think it'll fit in a Rabbit. :-)

Maybe.

� There's no "Captain Nemo walking into
his cabin on the Nautilus" look here, but the place is attractive and
utilitarian.

IMHO the true art of a hamshack is having things set up in such a way
that you just want to sit down and start operating as soon as you see
the place.

That's how it is here--unless I get sidetracked by the internet.

Dave K8MN

On Mar 9, 4:10Â pm, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 5, 3:20� pm, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 3, 2:40�pm, Michael Coslo wrote:

Gotcha, Jug!

Marcellus? Is that you?

Complete with insignia!

Almost time to put the blue sweaters away.

There's no one who can reduce a waste stream
like West Africans. Â The
seams in Coke cans are opened after the tops
and bottoms are removed and
the cans are rolled flat. Â The become roofing material
or house siding.
Black trash bags are washed and recycled. Â Pop bottles
become water
bottles and used 55-gallon drums (previous contents
unknown) are used
for making palm or cashew wine.

Except for the reuse of possibly-contaminated 55-gal drums it all
sounds good.

The dial drum of the Southgate Type 7 was made from a piece of 6"
diameter plexiglass pipe. It was thoroughly cleaned and about a 2"
long section cut off. A disk 6" in diameter was then cut and the pipe
solvent-welded to the disk using Duco.

The neutralizing-adjustment disk from a BC-375 tuning unit was then
bolted to the bottom so that the dial drum could be mounted on an
extension of the tuning capacitor shaft.

The dial drum is viewed through a Plexiglas window. A piece of paper
wrapped around the drum was calibrated using an LM frequency meter,
then a good copy drawn using a CAD program. The good copy was printed
on translucent Mylar and put on the drum.

A lampholder/reflector assembly is mounted inside the dial drum, with
two pilot lights so the whole thing is illuminated.

You want a Southgate type number for it?

I think that'd be appropriate.

Indeed! I will speak with Engineering Documentation about it.

The upright case has a full metal cover, space for a cooling fan and a
shelf which can hold the rectifier board and electrolytic caps. Â The
bottles aren't U.S. types, they're Phillips equivalents with graphite
plates. Â They should hold up for a long time. Â I'll use Chinese
Coleman-type lantern chimneys.

There's a good discussion over on eham about high power tubes,
gettering and other issues. Unlike receiving tubes with their shiny
flashed getters, high power tubes often use the anode or a coating as
the getter, and need to operate at high temperature to work.

Lots of good info out there free for the download. W5JGV's site has
info from Eimac, RCA, Taylor and other tube makers. Not just the usual
number and data but application notes, recommended practices, etc.

Yes, but they want you to *buy* the stuff! My adapters
were made from
scraps.

Some of us would have to buy stuff in order to have scraps.

Bwaahaahaa

 I've found
that the hobby shop stuff is not terribly expensive. Â They also have
round, square and sheet plastic stock. Â Some is clear and some is
translucent--ideal for making dial scales.

See description, above. I gotta take more pics...

Exactly. Wood prices have changed, though; today
a tabletop might be
AC plywood.
Depends what's on the cull cart.

I don't have a place with a cull cart. Â I've sometimes bought
ugly-looking plywood and topped a desk with vinyl floor tile. Â If you

want to fancy one up, hardwood veneer isn't too pricey.

Don't want fancy. Want functional.

Thursday there was the remains of a packing box for some new furniture
by a dumpster near here. The box was corrugated but the base was nice
2x4 and 1x6, nailed together. Cut off the corrugated and saved the
wood.

The former belongs in a museum, the latter in a home.

Not everyone lives like us, Jim. Â Some folks have houses
large enough to
be homes *and* museums and the wherewithal to populate
the place with
both types of antiques.

Yep, you're right. Particularly around here!

 I can appreciate antiques as art but we don't
have enough room for antiques we can't put to use unless
they happen to
be art for the wall or items which can sit on a table for
the most part.

Same here. All about multiple uses.

You're a lightweight! Â My main operating position is representative
of
overkill. Â The frame is 2x4's; the legs are 4x4's and the top is a
hollow core door. Â There's a two shelf console with two angled
wings,
with enough roof under the first shelf for solid-state brick
VHF/UHF
amps, keyers, paddles, DVK and the like.

For me that frame is overkill but the hollow-core door is underkill -
not strong enough.

Did I mention the six foot rack to my right?

I've had table racks but always wanted a six or seven foot floor rack.
My old Handbook has plans for a wooden one...

I did one table with a hollow core door many years ago (it was
free)
but they are too flimsy and too expensive for TSS approval now.

They hold up well with the 2x4 frame and 2x4 bracing.

Yes but that's not the issue. You can punch right through the surface
with something sharp and heavy enough.

The shack table in the website picture was designed for Field
Day use,
25 years ago. The top was the maximum size that would fit in
the back
of a VW Rabbit with the rear seat taken out. All the legs and
braces
are bolted on in such a way that the whole thing breaks down
into one
package. Does the job for now but a replacement is in the
works.

Mine will break down too, but I don't think it'll fit in a Rabbit. :-)

Less than 10 minutes to set up or take down, no tools needed. It's all
about multiple uses. No card-tables on FD for me.

73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:
On Mar 9, 4:10� pm, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 5, 3:20� pm, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 3, 2:40�pm, Michael Coslo wrote:

Gotcha, Jug!
Marcellus? Is that you?
Complete with insignia!

Almost time to put the blue sweaters away.

Right you are.

There's no one who can reduce a waste stream
like West Africans. � The
seams in Coke cans are opened after the tops
and bottoms are removed and
the cans are rolled flat. � The become roofing material
or house siding.
Black trash bags are washed and recycled. � Pop bottles
become water
bottles and used 55-gallon drums (previous contents
unknown) are used
for making palm or cashew wine.

Except for the reuse of possibly-contaminated 55-gal drums it all
sounds good.

Yeah, I've thought about it a great deal. Some of those drums may have
had petroleum products or pesticides or such. You might want to think
about getting your beef in a black trash bag which was previously used
for garbage. I once bought a loaf of French bread on the street which
came wrapped in a letter I'd discarded in the trash. It didn't bother
me too much since I'd already gotten used to picking the baked weevils
out of the bread.

The dial drum of the Southgate Type 7 was made from a piece of 6"
diameter plexiglass pipe. It was thoroughly cleaned and about a 2"
long section cut off. A disk 6" in diameter was then cut and the pipe
solvent-welded to the disk using Duco.

The neutralizing-adjustment disk from a BC-375 tuning unit was then
bolted to the bottom so that the dial drum could be mounted on an
extension of the tuning capacitor shaft.

The dial drum is viewed through a Plexiglas window. A piece of paper
wrapped around the drum was calibrated using an LM frequency meter,
then a good copy drawn using a CAD program. The good copy was printed
on translucent Mylar and put on the drum.

That's a pretty inventive way to handle a homebrew dial.

A lampholder/reflector assembly is mounted inside the dial drum, with
two pilot lights so the whole thing is illuminated.

It sounds remarkably like the way Hammarlund handled the
dial/illumination in the HQ-215.

You want a Southgate type number for it?
I think that'd be appropriate.

Indeed! I will speak with Engineering Documentation about it.

I received the data from Engineering.

The upright case has a full metal cover, space for a cooling fan and a
shelf which can hold the rectifier board and electrolytic caps. � The
bottles aren't U.S. types, they're Phillips equivalents with graphite
plates. � They should hold up for a long time. � I'll use Chinese
Coleman-type lantern chimneys.

There's a good discussion over on eham about high power tubes,
gettering and other issues. Unlike receiving tubes with their shiny
flashed getters, high power tubes often use the anode or a coating as
the getter, and need to operate at high temperature to work.

I've read the eham thread and have even participated.

Lots of good info out there free for the download. W5JGV's site has
info from Eimac, RCA, Taylor and other tube makers. Not just the usual
number and data but application notes, recommended practices, etc.

I'm forced to admit that I've got many of the original transmitting and
receiving guides. When I sold industrial electronics for Hughes-Peters,
I rescued an old Eimac three-ring binder from the trash. It contains
the specs for most early and late Eimac bottles along with applications
notes and design info for amateur amplifiers. Quite a number of those
notes and articles were done by Bill Orr W6SAI (SK). I consider Bill's
articles to be excellent.

Yes, but they want you to *buy* the stuff! My adapters
were made from
scraps.
Some of us would have to buy stuff in order to have scraps.

Bwaahaahaa

I can't tell you how many leftovers I have from buying material for a
project. When I lived in Cincy, I used to hit the scrap bins of a
plastics distributor so I have quite a bit of scrap teflon, nylon and
lucite rod, sheet and tube. Finding it when I want it is the hard part.

� I've found
that the hobby shop stuff is not terribly expensive. � They also have
round, square and sheet plastic stock. � Some is clear and some is
translucent--ideal for making dial scales.

See description, above. I gotta take more pics...

Exactly. Wood prices have changed, though; today
a tabletop might be
AC plywood.

Depends what's on the cull cart.

I don't have a place with a cull cart. � I've sometimes bought
ugly-looking plywood and topped a desk with vinyl floor tile. � If you

want to fancy one up, hardwood veneer isn't too pricey.

Don't want fancy. Want functional.

Keeping the XYL happy, serves a function. Keeping visiting hams from
laughing, serves a function.

Thursday there was the remains of a packing box for some new furniture
by a dumpster near here. The box was corrugated but the base was nice
2x4 and 1x6, nailed together. Cut off the corrugated and saved the
wood.

I'm not above that. My last crank up tower from Tashjian/Tri-Ex had a
crate built from 22-foot-long California 2x4's and some long, narrow
strips of plywood. I kept it all. I'd never even seen 22' pieces of
2x4 stock prior to getting these. They're reddish in color and are of
some sort of pine not often found here in the East.

The former belongs in a museum, the latter in a home.
Not everyone lives like us, Jim. � Some folks have houses
large enough to
be homes *and* museums and the wherewithal to populate
the place with
both types of antiques.

Yep, you're right. Particularly around here!

Well, these 3,000 to 5000 square foot mega-homes have been cropping up
everywhere in the past decade. They're much cheaper to heat and cool
than some of the earlier built homes.

� I can appreciate antiques as art but we don't
have enough room for antiques we can't put to use unless
they happen to
be art for the wall or items which can sit on a table for
the most part.

Same here. All about multiple uses.

....and the conservation of space.

You're a lightweight! � My main operating position is representative
of
overkill. � The frame is 2x4's; the legs are 4x4's and the top is a
hollow core door. � There's a two shelf console with two angled
wings,
with enough roof under the first shelf for solid-state brick
VHF/UHF
amps, keyers, paddles, DVK and the like.

For me that frame is overkill but the hollow-core door is underkill -
not strong enough.

The console is the key to strength.

Did I mention the six foot rack to my right?

I've had table racks but always wanted a six or seven foot floor rack.
My old Handbook has plans for a wooden one...

I remember seeing the plans.

I did one table with a hollow core door many years ago (it was
free)
but they are too flimsy and too expensive for TSS approval now.
They hold up well with the 2x4 frame and 2x4 bracing.

Yes but that's not the issue. You can punch right through the surface
with something sharp and heavy enough.

That's why I mentioned the console. Everything heavy sits on it. The
four supports for it distribute the weight so that nothing can break
through the door. There's one large HF rig, one HF/VHF/UHF rig, four
rotor control boxes, an HF amp, three remote coaxial switches, three
watt meters, two speakers, an antenna tune, a RTTY/digital modem, spare
receiver and a monitor scope on the console. Assorted accessory boxes
sit under the console and there's an LCD computer monitor and a keyboard
on the desk too.

Dave K8MN

On Mar 16, 3:50Â am, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 9, 4:10� pm, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 5, 3:20� pm, Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 3, 2:40�pm, Michael Coslo wrote:

Except for the reuse of possibly-contaminated 55-gal drums it all
sounds good.

Yeah, I've thought about it a great deal. Â I once bought a loaf of
French bread on the street which
came wrapped in a letter I'd discarded in the trash. Â It didn't bothe
r
me too much since I'd already gotten used to picking the baked
weevils out of the bread.

You owe me a new keyboard for that story.

The dial drum of the Southgate Type 7.... The
good copy was printed
on translucent Mylar and put on the drum.

That's a pretty inventive way to handle a homebrew dial.

TNX. Not a single new part was used. It's done a good job these past
dozen years.

It sounds remarkably like the way Hammarlund handled the
dial/illumination in the HQ-215.

That's what inspired the design, except there's no dial cord in the
Type 7. IIRC, the HQ-215 lamps aren't *inside* the dial drum, are
they?

I received the data from Engineering.

Good. Ms. Yardley sends greetings.

Unlike receiving tubes with their shiny
flashed getters, high power tubes often
use the anode or a coating as
the getter, and need to operate at high temperature to work.

I've read the eham thread and have even participated.

Excellent!

I'm forced to admit that I've got many of the original
transmitting and
receiving guides. Â When I sold industrial electronics for
Hughes-Peters,
I rescued an old Eimac three-ring binder from the trash.
 It contains
the specs for most early and late Eimac bottles along with
applications
notes and design info for amateur amplifiers. Â

Priceless stuff!

Quite a number of those
notes and articles were done by Bill Orr W6SAI (SK).
 I consider Bill's
articles to be excellent.

I agree. Those articles and notes often go far beyond mere
specifications and general data, too. They often explain *why*
something is done, not just what to do.

A lot of the info is rather subtle. For example, if one is used to
receiving and low-power transmitting tubes with their silvery flashed
getters, where overheating causes the getter to lose its silvery
appearance, it is counter-intuitive that the gettering action of high
power transmitting tubes can actually depend the plate reaching high
temperatures. Or that, in the case of high-gain glass tetrodes like
the 4-125A, running lightly loaded can cause the glass of the tube to
soften from electron bombardment.

I think that a lot of things were tossed in the 1970s-1990s because
folks thought they'd never be needed again. Can't tell you how many
tubes and tube-related parts I acquired in those years for little or
nothing, because the folks getting rid of it thought nobody would ever
need or want it in the future.

This sort of thing even happens in the aerospace industry. A lot of
documentation was simply dumped as programs ended. Rocket engine
designers are going to museums to see how it was done in the past, and
have the problem of seeing what was done but not why.

I can't tell you how many leftovers I have from buying material for a
project. Â When I lived in Cincy, I used to hit the scrap bins of a
plastics distributor so I have quite a bit of scrap teflon, nylon and
lucite rod, sheet and tube. Â Finding it when I want it is the hard
part.

Same here.

How's this for scrounging:

When this house got new siding back a few years, the antenna mast had
to come down so the siding could be put on. But when the mast was to
be reinstalled, I needed some spacers to make everything line up
correctly.

Machining metal to do the job would have been a big deal. Wood was
easy but would be a maintenance job, exposed to the weather. PVC was
too soft and not available in the right sizes anyway.

Then I remembered that relatives had redone their kitchen some years
earlier, and had gotten white Corian countertops installed. The
installers had left some Corian scraps behind. The relatives
had kept them, figuring there had to be some use for such wonderful
material.

Sure enough, the scraps were still available for the asking. I got
some and made the exact spacer blocks needed. Tough, weatherproof,
easy to machine, and even the right color.
Don't want fancy. Want functional.

Keeping the XYL happy, serves a function.

Agreed.

 Keeping visiting hams from
laughing, serves a function.

They don't laugh when they see the contest scores.

I'm not above that. Â My last crank up tower from
Tashjian/Tri-Ex had a
crate built from 22-foot-long California 2x4's and
some long, narrow
strips of plywood. Â I kept it all. Â I'd never even seen 22' piec
es of
2x4 stock prior to getting these. Â They're reddish in color
and are of
some sort of pine not often found here in the East.

The only places I've seen such long pieces of 2x4 were in old balloon-
framed houses. One reason balloon-framing ended was the availability
and cost of such wood.

Well, these 3,000 to 5000 square foot mega-homes
have been cropping up
everywhere in the past decade.

We call them "McMansions" in these parts. But that really applies more
to the 4,000-8.000+ sf houses we see.

It is not unusual around here to see a perfectly good house from the
1950s to 1970s bought and torn down by a developer so a McMansion can
be built. The value is in the land - often the price of the new place
is twice that of the old. The current housing bust has mostly put an
end to that, but not completely. More than a few locals are up in arms
because it means less "affordable" housing units.

The amateur radio connection to all of this is that often the house
which was torn down had mature trees good for antennas and no CC&Rs.
"Development" often removes at least some of the trees, or they don't
survive the construction process, and the new place is usually CC&R'd
to the max.

 They're much cheaper to heat and cool
than some of the earlier built homes.

That depends on two factors: scaling (as a house gets bigger, the
interior volume grows faster than the exterior wall/roof area) and how
houses are built.

When this house got the work done a couple summers ago, and some walls
were opened, it turned out that there was no insulation. Just a thin
layer of wallboard, 2x4s, 1x10 sheathing (not plywood yet the house is
from 1950) tar paper and mineral siding. Of course insulation and
Tyvek were installed, and then the new siding.

Same here. All about multiple uses.

...and the conservation of space.

More on that below.

The console is the key to strength.

That's why I mentioned the console. Â
Everything heavy sits on it. Â The
four supports for it distribute the weight so that nothing can break
through the door. Â There's one large HF rig, one HF/VHF/UHF rig,
four
rotor control boxes, an HF amp, three remote coaxial switches,
three
watt meters, two speakers, an antenna tune, a RTTY/digital
modem, spare
receiver and a monitor scope on the console. Â Assorted
accessory boxes
sit under the console and there's an LCD computer monitor
and a keyboard
on the desk too.

Beautiful, just beautiful..

One difference is that your console/desk is purpose-built for the
shack. Custom use, IOW. The op desk I use was designed to be multi-
purpose, and has been on several Field Days, as have the Southgate
rigs.

When a thing is built to do just one thing, it can often be made
simple and yet high-performance for that one thing. When it has to do
multiple things, there are always more compromises.

73 de Jim, N2EY

On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:50:34 EDT, Dave Heil
wrote:

I'm forced to admit that I've got many of the original transmitting and
receiving guides. When I sold industrial electronics for Hughes-Peters,
I rescued an old Eimac three-ring binder from the trash. It contains
the specs for most early and late Eimac bottles along with applications
notes and design info for amateur amplifiers. Quite a number of those
notes and articles were done by Bill Orr W6SAI (SK). I consider Bill's
articles to be excellent.

Somewhere in my pile of stuff I have Eimac's "Care and Feeding of
Power Tetrodes". A classic.

Bill Eitel (SK), the "Ei" if Eimac, was a close buddy of my first FCC
boss, Ney Landry (W6UDU, ex-K6RI - but that "ex" is another story) and
I got to meet him several times in the office and at the hamfests that
eventually became Pacificon.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net