[N6QW] Secrets to Homebrewing ~ Revealed!

[N6QW via rec.radio.amateur.moderated Admin]

N6QW Homebrew Radio

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Secrets to Homebrewing ~ Revealed!

Posted: 01 Feb 2017 04:37 PM PST
http://n6qw.blogspot.com/2017/02/secrets-to-homebrewing-revealed.html

Secrets to Successful Homebrewing -- An Art!Many years ago there was a joke
going around about the person who widely advertised "Become Rich Quick!"
Send $2 and discover how. As the story goes a reply would be received in
the form of a postcard ( at that time 3 cents) which simply said "Do What I
Did!" Well I could tell you to do what I have done; but that would
undoubtedly be a disservice in that simply repeating what I have done has
no guarantee and you didn't even have to spend the $2. So for free -- you
know how good free is -- are some suggestions for the would be or seasoned
homebrewer on being successful in your builds. Getting organized by having
a good information storage and retrieval system. A well established
library, collections of data sheets, and cataloged project articles are
worth their weight in goldA suitable well lit workspace where you can stop
a project and return to it later picking up where you left off. I remember
an article about a ham who had very limited space in his home save for the
family laundry room. Clever guy that he was he built a swing down work
table that was above the family washer an dryer. When he wanted to build
something he simply let down the chains on either end of the hinged table
and instant workbench. That worked very well once! Seems his XYL (like my
XYL) absolutely hated ham radio. His XYL literally waited in the bushes
until he just had everything ready to go and she would come in with the
laundry basket and announce it was time to do the laundry. Of course they
had a top loading washer --so his bench had to be put back. Find a better
solution than this chap.Tools and Test Gear -- take a tip from Tim Allen
(Star of Tool Time and also a ham today) and get the best tools and you do
need something more than a 1920's voltmeter for test gear. There have been
many suggestions on a minimum tool set and test gear and if you navigate
over to http://www.n6qw.com/Bitx40.html there are several pages devoted to
getting a good stock of basic tools a info on test equipment.Junk Box.
Start now by collecting common parts in your junk box. You will not find a
Radio Shack open at midnight when all you need is a 10K 1/4 resistor.
Several years ago I wrote an article on how to stuff a junk box. You can
find it on my website http://www.jessystems.com under Konstruction Korner.
This is a recommendation on what you should have in the bins.Start with a
small project like building the Michigan Mighty Mite one transistor
transmitter as this has many benefits starting with low part count (less
than 10 parts), low cost as many of the parts cost pennies, short build
time, and UNDERSTANDING --yes not only build it but take the time to know
what is the function of each part. Finally 9 out of 10 builders smoke the
transistor for various reasons. Thus another few pennies and you are back
in business. Smoking a set of finals in your Yaseu, ICOM or Kenwood will
cost well over $100. A small project is easier to troubleshoot!If it is a
receiver you want then start with a direct conversion receiver (low part
count, good sensitivity, easy build) and get that working. A DCR is a very
usable rig! Once you have that going you can move up to a superhet with a
crystal filter and other goodies. In 2015, Ben KK6FUT and I wrote a series
of articles on the LBS (Lets Build Something) which is a project that did
exactly that and the bonus literally all of the DCR was incorporated into
the Superhet.A word here about the Bitx40 which is a pre-built complete
radio including a digi LO and LCD for an amazing price of $59 delivered
from India. This is a good starter project as there is much support and
documentation to assist the builder. Costing only $59 and pre-built save
for mounting in the customer supplied enclosure, this satisfies many of the
criteria mentioned earlier.KEEP NOTES and RECORDS of settings, wiring
diagrams, modifications, parts substitutions and as built sketches. You
simply cannot remember all of this in your head! Finally :Do not be afraid
to ask questions from suitably knowledgeable people, in fact ask lots of
them. Asking WHY leads to understanding and wisdom =. (Tnx Rob)That is it
--secrets revealed. 73'sPete N6QW