Discussion of radio transmitting and receiving equipment. http://www.frn.net/vines/list.php?9 Sat, 05 Sep 2026 19:48:03 -0400 Phorum 5.2.19 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11461,11461#msg-11461 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11461,11461#msg-11461 www.nesselectronics.com]
Never had this antenna, but I knew a couple friends that did, and out-did my 6 element FM beam & my Archer VU-190 antennas. Still, I logged lots of past VHF / UHF stations with them. So, get this, and kick some VHF FM DX ass!]]> ThaDood The Workshop Sun, 28 Jun 2026 23:59:49 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11460,11460#msg-11460 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11460,11460#msg-11460 www.rigpix.com] Looks like a neat little rig. Question is, will this ever see a USA FCC Approval? Probably not... Heck... This is small enough to make almost another form of a CB Multi-Mode Packpack rig. I haven't seen that since 1980.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Sun, 28 Jun 2026 23:58:25 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11417,11447#msg-11447 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11417,11447#msg-11447 www.eham.net] Glad that someone there did this.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:02:12 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11439,11444#msg-11444 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11439,11444#msg-11444
Lots of radio plans lately will only have one way to characterize a coil, like the inductance value, or number of turns on a toroid, such as 12 turns on an Amidon T-50-2, but not tell what the inductance is, so you have to find the formula again and get your calculator out.

Even worse are plans that have some specific model of inductor from some manufacturer who might not be around any longer, and give no info on what the specs of the coil might be.

You might just want to read and understand the circuit, but not plan to build it, so the more coil info the better. With smaller inductances you don't always need toroids, like you can make low pass filters with air wound coils just fine on short pieces of PVC pipe.

Booma]]> Radio Animal The Workshop Fri, 29 May 2026 22:34:47 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11439,11439#msg-11439 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11439,11439#msg-11439 coil32.net] I always seem to need help to determine 'L' when designing filters and winding my own inductors. So, this site is pretty cool.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Thu, 28 May 2026 12:44:13 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11436,11436#msg-11436 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11436,11436#msg-11436 ThaDood The Workshop Sat, 23 May 2026 12:57:03 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11417,11435#msg-11435 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11417,11435#msg-11435 swling.com] Cost a little more now, reaching the $200.00USD mark, but for what it does, I still want one.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Fri, 22 May 2026 14:07:35 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11417,11417#msg-11417 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11417,11417#msg-11417 www.elecevolve.com] Neat... Looks like table-top SDR features in a slim portable. I want one.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:38:33 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11411,11416#msg-11416 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11411,11416#msg-11416 Radio Animal The Workshop Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:44:04 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11411,11411#msg-11411 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11411,11411#msg-11411 www.rigpix.com] Looks neat... I just hope that it won't be such a let-down, like the Uniden 980SSB, with a bad, known, display and useless Noise Blanker.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:21:05 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11406,11406#msg-11406 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11406,11406#msg-11406 www.hackster.io] Huh... Looks neat, but is it anything like the Grace Digital wi-fi Radio that I use for that purpose? The Grace Digital has a much better D/A converter, and sounds much smoother, warmer, and way less harsh, than the D/A converters heard in smart phones and many computers. Passing contemplation, but neat to see what's out there to dedicate an internet streaming source for programming on your station. (Thanks again, Boomer!)]]> ThaDood The Workshop Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:53:32 -0400 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11383,11384#msg-11384 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11383,11384#msg-11384
To keep the range low, just clip on a small piece of wire and lengthen it until you get the signal level you want, then it will be like test generator level.

Using the 13.56 crystal that guy has, then you'd be on the ISM band with more power allowed, so you might be able use a full dipole on the mini rig.

That has to be one of the simplest AM transmitters out there!

Boomer]]> Radio Animal The Workshop Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:36:26 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11383,11383#msg-11383 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11383,11383#msg-11383 pu2clr.github.io] Certainly, some neat ideas to check out. (Thanks, Boomer!!!)]]> ThaDood The Workshop Sun, 22 Feb 2026 16:13:40 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11380,11380#msg-11380 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11380,11380#msg-11380 www.kennetron.com] Now, if there was only someone who could figure out how to rebuild Amateur level tubes. Those 3-500's are pretty pricey today, and 572's are certainly getting there.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:04:46 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11378,11378#msg-11378 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11378,11378#msg-11378 atsmini.github.io] Looks like a really neat package of a radio. Anyone try one of these yet?]]> ThaDood The Workshop Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:55:08 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11377,11377#msg-11377 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11377,11377#msg-11377 www.radioworld.com] Ya know, you'd think that a Kiwi-SDR would be seen as another neat tool for the broadcast engineer. Now, if I can only get mine to work.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:23:31 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11364,11367#msg-11367 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11364,11367#msg-11367
That's right, I didn't think about it for portable operations, you could bring just a microphone and a laptop and it could be the complete driver to the transmitter!

You could have file player, VU meter, compressor, audio filter all on the laptop, good idea. Pot your microphone up, talk over the music, do production, it's all there.

It could be good for a low volt transmitter at a car show, to play oldies and have an announce system without extra wires.]]> Radio Animal The Workshop Fri, 30 Jan 2026 22:08:48 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11364,11364#msg-11364 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11364,11364#msg-11364 vb-audio.com] Huh... Boomer is already trying this. Somehow, I could see going portable, or mobile, in operations, this can be handy from a laptop & netbook. So, neat...]]> ThaDood The Workshop Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:57:17 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11339,11355#msg-11355 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11339,11355#msg-11355 Radio Animal The Workshop Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:22:34 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11352,11354#msg-11354 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11352,11354#msg-11354
Original Zara itself has been more neglected in recent years, though old versions work fine on older computer systems, there have been issues with Windows 10 and 11 apparently, but Zara has been slow to update, going by what users have posted.

That's where Salamandra comes in, it's made for these newer set of operating systems.]]> Radio Animal The Workshop Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:19:34 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11352,11352#msg-11352 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11352,11352#msg-11352 github.com] Hey, I'm for more choices out there for automation on-air for us to use. (Thank you Boomer!)]]> ThaDood The Workshop Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:33:11 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11346,11346#msg-11346 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11346,11346#msg-11346 www.radioworld.com] Um, yeah... That's a way bigger collection of microphones than what I've got. Hey, the microphone is pretty much where it all starts, right? (Thank you Boomer!)]]> ThaDood The Workshop Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:10:14 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11297,11341#msg-11341 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11297,11341#msg-11341 thepodcastconsultant.com] Nice, to know what's out there.]]> ThaDood The Workshop Wed, 24 Dec 2025 13:04:04 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11339,11339#msg-11339 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11339,11339#msg-11339 www.circuits-diy.com] Hmmmmmmmmmmm... 700kHz from their example? Perfect, to boost like a 100mW for an AM Carrier-Current setup. (FWR by Boomer to me.)]]> ThaDood The Workshop Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:39:06 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11337,11337#msg-11337 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11337,11337#msg-11337 www.hfunderground.com] , reminded me of another project in the works, an 11M transmitter for Part 15 levels from the FREQ of 25.670MHz - 26.100MHz. If, I finally get around to doing this project, I'll put it up on my Archive page. So, stay tuned!!!!!!
ADDITIONAL 12/21/2025: Upon looking up the permissible Field Strength Emissions for Part 15 use in the 11M INT BC Band, it appears to be a measly 30uV @ 30M, 30 mircovolts measured at 30 meters away. (Or, several "S" units to a portable at around 100ft.) This does indeed seem like a ridiculously low Field Strength, where maybe the signal would reach a couple close back yards. However, on the receive side of things, consider that of all the bands that listeners would be using outdoors antennas, this band appears to to have some nice prospective. On the 11M INT BC Band, listeners would most likely be using Ground Planes, like 1/4-wave, 1/2-wave, and 5/8-wave, antennas, as well as Beam Antennas. Given these possible considerations to extend the range, at the receiving end, Part 15 operations may have some possibilities after all. Certainly, would make for an interesting experimental transmitter. Passing contemplation...]]> ThaDood The Workshop Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:31:17 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11336,11336#msg-11336 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11336,11336#msg-11336 www.ebay.com] And, Radio Jay Allen covers this more in depth [radiojayallen.com] For around $200.00 USD's, what used to cost thousands of $$$$'s to do and take-up a rack? Heck yeah!!! (Thanks to Boomer and Tybee for the updates.)]]> ThaDood The Workshop Sat, 13 Dec 2025 14:05:27 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11332,11332#msg-11332 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11332,11332#msg-11332 ganymedeham.blogspot.com] That schematic is kind of vague, but that feedback loop, with 10uF CAP in it is from pins 1 and 8. Output is pin 5. And, pin 2 is Audio IN. Pins 3 and 4 are tied to Ground. And VCC is +12VDC on pin 6. Pin 7 is N/C. Still, I like the simplicity of this. (Boomer, helped fill-in the pins on this one.)]]> ThaDood The Workshop Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:30:00 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11330,11330#msg-11330 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11330,11330#msg-11330 radiojayallen.com] So, for around a C-Note, car stereo performance in a shirt pocket portable? Heck, yeah!!!! Question is, is this portable readily available now?]]> ThaDood The Workshop Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:21:08 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11326,11326#msg-11326 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11326,11326#msg-11326 aa7ee.wordpress.com] Let's talk about gear, like AM Radio Audio Processing. This, is a good write-up. Someday, I hope to upgrade the audio on-air processing better here. However, until that day comes, where I can afford to do so, if ever, what we have works, for now. Anyway... Thanks, to Tybee & Boomer for FWR this INFO!]]> ThaDood The Workshop Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:24:03 -0500 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11294,11319#msg-11319 http://www.frn.net/vines/read.php?9,11294,11319#msg-11319
I figured to wait until things were straightened out. Glad I didn't order, or I might have been stranded, because soon after, they stopped selling and they went into support only mode. Now SSTRAN's site is off the air completely.

I don't know why they quit, it was a favorite transmitter that sold well apparently, so they're out there. They come up for sale, used, at times. Tybee did the research and found they sell for about double what the kit cost originally.

I like the site you posted, even if you don't have an SSTRAN, it has good info on tuning up many of the part-15 transmitters that work like this, 1/10th of a watt with a loading coil and 10 foot antenna, the principles are the same as others.

Boomer]]> Radio Animal The Workshop Sat, 15 Nov 2025 03:52:11 -0500