My HW-8 and other delights

I moved my beloved SB-104 (Heathkit) into the closet and have placed my HW-8 into the main position. Darn thing works. As so many others have commented, a DC receiver really does sound like you are closer to the RF itself. No mushiness, just "crisp" signals. I suppose it is the group delay in the if filter and the myriad of other devices the signal must get through in the Yeasu,  the HW-8 is more  pleasant to listen to. . . until the QRM picks up, then I miss the 400 hz filter on the SB104.
My bitx also has a crisp and clear quality to the sound, maybe it is not group delay in the filter, but AGC that gives the mushiness? Perhaps it goes back to the fewer the stages, the less distortion that gets added.

Still trying to figure out how to multi-band the palm-tree so I can get on 40 and 10. . . I am still pondering putting a 40 loop on the roof and if it is too noisy (QRN) use the vertical for receive and the loop to txmit on. Got the PA and filter board laid out for the Bitx, when I etch and stuff it, I should be close to actually using the darn thing.


Still trying to work a QSO a night, haven't gotten far with that, although I have been getting some practice in on the keyer, I may be ready next time I get into a QSO.

Oh, here's a story: When I was building my power meter, I used a LM324 (quad op amp) for only one amplifier (what I knew I had on hand.) Brilliant self, I used a TSSOP instead of the SOIC package I had on had. No problem, I only need the first four pins and ground.  . . only my LM324s had 16 pins instead of 14! After I looked at the data sheet, I looked at the part numbers on the chips and figured out that Digi-key sent me the wrong parts 18 months ago! So I designed my board for a chip I never had! I will just use some TL084 (still SOIC.)
That's all for now.

Chugging along -- or is it QRMing?

Boy am I rusty on the keyer. I am using the Norcal keyer chip as my keyer now and it is much better than what I was using. However, I still seem to struggle. I can remember a few (many few!) when my Bencher paddles seemed to do all the work for me. Now I stumble over my own QTH! I need to consider this the next time I move. Perhaps a city with a five letter name would be nice.

I did work a station in Columbia (the country, not the SC capital!) and a few more local ones. I am quite impressed with the palm-tree vertical.  I still would like to add 40 and 10 meters.

Finally got the rest of the parts for my Bitx-20 (my own SMD design.) so I can resume work on that. I also am about to get my Rock-mite  finished, although I still need a portable antenna to use it (or my HW-8 for that matter.)

All seems in slow motion, I know, but progress is progress. As my kids get older, I should have more time. I still am looking at how I can operate during my compute, but the drive may be a bit too intense to focus on ham radio.

Well, 73' s for now. Hope to see you on 20 meters.

Back on the air!

If I had known how much better the "Palm Vertical" would work, I could have saved myself a lot of trouble. I worked Texas Sat. night and received a 599 with 10 watts. I know that Texas is not far, but I also heard a station on the Galapagos (and a massive pileup) on 20M. The key is that the antenna is far from all the crap on the house wiring. I am wondering about the quality of the service ground. Still thinking about a roof mounted loop for 10M and 15M. With the sunspots on the rise, I certainly want to have some capability on those bands.

I finally broke down and bought the replacement Norcal keyer chip to replace the one I lost (along with the board!) So I laid out a new board and built the thing. Now all I need is a case. I hope it will improve my CW.

I am down to the power meter and the DDS signal generator and I will be caught up and ready to get back to my SMD bitx. . . I ordered some Toko IF transformers for the band-pass filters today. Hopefully I can move that project along and start talking on it. I have an exciter and VFO and can produce a few mw of RF, but still need the filters and PA to make a completed unit.