We remember: 9/11/2001

God Bless America!

N1NKM's
Chattering smiley
HAM page 1

Yep, that's me, HAMMING it up! ;)

This site is designed to be BROWSER FRIENDLY!
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UPDATED: 7/13/2008

Welcome!

I hope you enjoy this slightly offbeat little corner of the WWW! There's a LOT here... It's meant to be lighthearted, with a few serious things thrown in for good measure. You won't find any JAVAJUNK here... no scripts, no "FLASH", none of that annoying stuff. This is a "Plain vanilla" site, designed for maximum user-friendliness. What you'll find here is useful information, practical circuits you can build, strange stuff, things to make you say, "Hmmmmm..." and hopefully something you can use. :) ENJOY!

I always welcome CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and comments. Thanks for stopping-by!

N1NKM is a member of the ARRL. :)

MICRO-BIO:
BULLARD-HAVENS CLASS OF 1980, ELECTRONICS SHOP & "SP"
(Nickname: "Flash")
SUMMAGRAPHICS 1982-1985 (Nickname "WB")
NATIONAL COMPUTER 1986-1987
WFIF RADIO Jul 1987 - Aug 2007
West Mountain Radio Nov 2007 - Present
Became N1NKM as Tech Plus in Sept 1992.
Upgraded to Extra, Nov 2001
Been a Star Trek fan since the late 60's! Check this out!

Not only am I into HAM stuff, I'm also into the Commodore 64! Here's my C64 Site!

Here's what I REALLY do for a LIVING! ;)

The Amateur's Code

The Radio Amateur is

CONSIDERATE...never knowingly operates in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others.
LOYAL...offers loyalty, encouragement and support to other amateurs, local clubs, and the American Radio Relay League, through which Amateur Radio in the United States is represented nationally and internationally.
PROGRESSIVE...with knowledge abreast of science, a well-built and efficient station and operation above reproach.
FRIENDLY...slow and patient operating when requested; friendly advice and counsel to the beginner; kindly assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the hallmarks of the amateur spirit.
BALANCED...radio is an avocation, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.
PATRIOTIC...station and skill always ready for service to country and community.
--The original Amateur's Code was written by Paul M. Segal, W9EEA, in 1928.

There are some great links, below! For example, if you have a great BoatAnchor that you wish you had a manual for, look in the LINKS for a great site that has almost everything you could need!

- - - QUIK-NAV bar - - -

Find info here, FAST! :)

SPECIAL NOTE...

This page contains a LOT of "BTN" & offbeat humor! :)

WHAT is "BTN" you ask? Click for the answer! (UPDATED!!!)

My latest projects!!

(JAN 2008)

RigBlaster UPGRADE!!! (Done!)

(OCT 2007)

Nice 2-tube, 4-stage, Regen. radio (Done!)

(JULY 2007)

Homebrew ribbon mic! (Ongoing! Now 4 units built!)

OPTICAL ribbon mic! (Ongoing)

How to use a BALLOON as a MICROPHONE! (BTN!!)

(DEC 2006)

400Hz oscillator (Done)

Tiny headphone amp! (Done)

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS! INSANE!!! BTN!(Ongoing?)

(Oct 2006)
Check this out... I've converted a bunch of Hy-Gain CB boards into MUCH more useful things!

Hy-Gain projects (Ongoing)

Space Modulator! (Done)

Here are some very basic drawings of what I am using for antennas.
There is less "BTN" in my antenna system than I used to have...
the best part is that it works so much better, now!

"Big Picture" view of my VHF and HF antennas, looking North.
Overall sketch of my antennas

On 1/6/2005, my friend Chuck and I put up a modified G5RV antenna. The improvement on HF was AMAZING, compared to the "wire-flung-tree" antenna I WAS using! :) The G5 is suspended between a tree in the back corner, and the huge oak in the front corner. About 10' of each end "dangles" from the insulators, to make it fit this small property. (Only 111 feet corner-to-corner!) The G5RV is modified because It is using 300 ohm TV twinlead, instead of 450 ohm "ladder" line. IT WORKS!!! I am now using the G5RV along with this 160 meter tuning system! It isn't "perfect" but it DOES work!
The 10M dipole is made from PVC pipe, and resembles a bow & arrow because of the ropes used to keep it from sagging. It works quite well! I put it up in fall of 2003.

"Bird's Eye" view
Overhead sketch of HF ant.

This is a more detailed view of how the HF antennas are connected. The coil-loaded random wire barely worked, so I dismantled it. I finally updated these drawings to reflect this. ;)
The BIGGEST improvement was in replacing the other "wire-flung-tree" (not shown) with the G5RV. The "wire-flung-tree" also incorporated the north side gutter & the VHF/UHF antenna's guy wires as a counterpoise. A friend once said that I was "Taking a gutter approach to better RF radiation!" He's a funny guy. ;) Now that I have the G5RV, signal reports on 75M are quite a bit better than they used to be! :)
I added the 10m dipole in fall of 2003 so that I could work some local friends on 10M horizontal. The improvement was very noticable! Unfortunately, none of them are active on 10 anymore. <:P So, now I wait until the sunspot activity opens that band, again, so that this antenna can see some use. (Probably on SSTV or PSK.)
The 2M J-pole is up 10 feet above the roof and gets out fairly well. There is also a 10M dipole inside the attic, but I very seldom use that anymore. It makes a useable receiver antenna for monitoring on another SW radio. It is also the antenna I will use during a T-storm, so it will stay. :)
What is a "wire-flung-tree" you ask? Just what the name implies... a piece of wire, flung into the tree! It worked, but not very well. I am not sorry to see it go! ;)

Pics of the shack...

Here is what I affectionately call the "Shack Stack". All of my ACTIVE radios are on this small shelf unit. "B.O.B." is the bright silver chassis on top. In this photo, it is powered-up as evidenced by the illuminated neon "HV" lamp.
On the shelf above "B.O.B." is the Drake TR-3, with it's power supply/speaker sitting sideways. (Barely visible, to left of rig.) This radio is seldom used, now.
On the top of the "Shack Stack" is my pride & joy project, the Bucket O' Bolts transmitter! Barely visible is the "On The Air" light, which sits on "BOB's" power transformer. Just behind "B.O.B." and to it's right, is the RS232-to-Icom CIV interface. This allows my upstairs computer to control the Icom rig. On top of that is the "cheapie stereo" speaker for the Icom. It sounds great for this purpose!
Below "BOB" is the 2 meter FM rig, mounted to the underside of the top shelf, on the right. To it's right, attached to the side, is the 30w 2M amp.

N1NKM's "SHACK STACK" 11/04/2006

Below that is a shelf, which holds the power supply that runs the IC718 & 2M via a RigRunner.
Next to the 2M amp is the HF SWR meter. Below that is the HF antenna tuner/wattmeter.
At the bottom is a scanner, with most of the local repeaters punched in. (2M, 220, 440)
Next to the scanner is the audio driver for "BOB" and next to that, the D-104 preamp.
Here is a schematic for that preamp.
On the right, at the bottom is the ICOM IC718. The rx audio from the IC718 is impressive!
AM Broadcast sounds GREAT! Look closely, and you will see that it's tuned to 3885...
that external speaker is great for listening to the near-BROADCAST quality audio of the AM operators!
Yes, I admit... there's also a fair amount of junk in the picture. ;)

Closeup of the TR-3 rig
Closeup of TR-3 rig
(Yes, it really looks this good! Wanna buy it? HiHi!)
The VFO tube now has a regulated supply for its filament.
This rig is now STABLE enough for PSK! (Only about 8hz drift, TX/RX.)

Closeup of the TR-3 rig
(Yes, it really looks this good! Wanna buy it? HiHi!) The VFO tube now has a regulated supply for its filament. This rig is now STABLE enough for PSK! (Only about 8hz drift, TX/RX.)

Hallicrafters AM/SW radio
This is a portable, battery/AC powered Hallicrafters AM/SW broadcast radio. It covers about 6 to 18Mhz SW, and regular AM from 540-1600. It's included here because it's a fantastic little radio!

Hallicrafters AM/SW radio
This is a portable, battery/AC powered Hallicrafters AM/SW broadcast radio. It covers about 6 to 18Mhz SW, and regular AM from 540-1600. It's included here because it's a fantastic little radio!

Click to see a few MORE PICS of the shack and 2003 HAMFEST.

PSK31

Animated - Person typing at 'puter
This 'puter is interconnected with the "Shack Stack" across the room.

I have created a special PSK31 ELMER page!
Check it out! :) (Note: Lots of small graphics on that page.)

N1NKM's secondary PSK31 system
Computer for PSK31

(I FINALLY UPDATED THIS PIC on 5/19/07!!)

This area also doubles as my dubbing studio, where I transfer 33's and 45's (Anyone remember those???) into the computer, and then save 'em as MP3 files. The computer is one that a friend rescued from the dumpster at his workplace. It's a PIII 550Mhz. Nice little box, PERFECT for this kind of thing! It also has a decent sound card, so my MP3 dubs come out good. :) You can see the turntable to the far right. Next to the computer is a cassette deck and the mixer/preamp I use for dubbing. I can also record broadcast radio through it, but seldom do.
You can clearly see the DigiPan software running on the monitor. (Version 2.0) Here is a page with details about my homebrew audio interface INCLUDING SCHEMATIC! Now *YOU* can build one for next-to-nothing! :) Now that I have a Rigblaster, I use the upstairs computer, instead. This one is just a spare, now. Sometimes, I leave it monitoring a specific frequency for SSTV images from friends, but that's pretty rare, lately.
NOTE: I used this machine running MMSSTV connected to my 2M FM rig, to try and copy the SSTV image that was being transmitted by the "SuitSat" experiment. It actually DID pick up a ROBOT36 mode transmission at the right time!! Unfortunately, the picture was not at all discernable, and SuitSat died very shortly after that orbit, so there was no 2'nd chance for me! :( I have heard that they plan to do something similar again, so I look forward to that day!

This is what my station copied
from Suitsat on 2/4/2006 at 3:52am EST.

N1NKM's SuitSat image!

N1NKM's not-so-messy workbench (2002)
My workbench

This is my not-too-messy bench... where my QRP (and ''BOB'')
transmitters were born... and various projects and devices are either "resurrected"
or become "organ donors" for other projects. ;) Notice the nice AM envelope on
the O'scope! :) I've had this same workbench since the 1970's. (Yeah, I'm sentimental.)
You can see the new wood work surface over the old, bowed piece!

N1NKM's VERY MESSY workbench! (2007)
My MESSY workbench

This is what it gets to look like between major projects!
(I added a small stereo there in 2006. I got it at Curbside special!)

I'm a sad case... I have this HORRIBLE habit of letting STUFF accumulate...
then I have to put it away or shove it into a box or whatever
to make room for major projects, such as my pride & joy project:
The "BOB" AM transmitter for 75M AM

N1NKM's RANT page
Just some things that bug me...
- The Wouff Hong -

It once struck terror into the hearts of LIDS, everywhere...
Whatever happened to this instrument of law and order??

I've finally finished working on my 55 watt AM transmitter! I can finally get onto 75M AM with a fairly good signal. My homebrew transmitter received a number of glowing compliments on it's inaugural transmission (1/12/2005) and continues to! The gentlemen on the freq. that evening were just that: Gentlemen. Thankfully, I'm seeing a few more of the GOOD GUYS and less of the bullies! May this trend CONTINUE! :)
§97.313 Transmitter power standards: An amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.
What in the world is with this "schoolyard bully" mentality I am hearing on the airwaves now and then? (Especially in the "AM Window") Ganging-up on others, jamming, etc? Good grief... are we adults? Then let's act like it! 'nuff said.

I also HATE contests! For me, that's instant QRT time! If there is a "CQ CONTEST! CQ CONTEST! CQ CONTEST! CQ CONTEST!" going on, my radio will either be OFF or on the WARC bands. I have never heard such INCONSIDERATE, RUDE, OBNOXIOUS people as during those infernal "Contests"! They don't care if they are QRMing your QSO, they just step right on top of you with their incessant "CQ CONTEST! CQ CONTEST! CQ CONTEST! CQ CONTEST!" garbage! ARRRRGGGHHH!!!! >:[ Talk about a perfect example of where the application of the Wouff Hong is necessary!

I need to express a brief opinion here
about SSTV that REALLY bothers me!!

This REALLY STINKS!

Thinking about people who need application of the Wouff Hong...
WHAT'S WITH ALL THESE
1/2 NAKED & FULLY NAKED
"GIRLIE" PICS???

I have a beautiful wife. I don't need to have this TRASH appearing on my screen!
Seriously, guys... GIVE US A BREAK! Most of this garbage I've been seeing is PG-13 and R! Does your XYL know what you're doing in that shack? What if you had a 10 year old daughter (granddaughter, neighbor kid, or neice) who walked in while one of those pictures was on the screen? I am totally disgusted by this! I don't want my family to see this garbage. All I can say, is if you want to view & share that kind of material *USE E-MAIL!* The quality is vastly superior, and you can exchange pictures to your heart's content in PRIVACY. The PUBLIC AIRWAVES are NOT the place for it! GET IT OFF THE AIR, PLEASE!
USE COMMON SENSE HERE: If the quality of pictures sent via E-mail is VASTY superior and UNRESTRICTED, then *WHY* would you want to broadcast them over SSTV? It would appear obvious that your intention is to deliberately annoy people, and CONTRIBUTE to the delinquency of minors! WHAT OTHER REASONS are there for BROADCASTING this kind of material over SSTV????
Do you people actually realize just how INAPPROPRIATE those images truly are?! After all, a major Television network was hit with some substantial FINES for airing Janet Jackson's "Wardrobe Malfunction". The images that I refer to here are far more explicit than that. If there is any doubt, why not e-mail one of them to Riley Hollingsworth at the FCC to get his opinion. I am quite sure he would agree that such material DOES NOT belong on Amateur Radio.

I am NOT alone!

I am SO TICKED!

(Looks like this guy is FED UP, too!)
There are others who also find this garbage distasteful and totally inappropriate! Here are some links to fellow HAMS who agree that SSTV is NOT the place for it! (One gentleman told me how disgusted his wife became when one of those images appeared on the screen. This is just what I am talking about.)

[1] K2PI
[2] EC1AEU
[3] W0LMD
[4]W0JRM

E-mails I've received

Look me up on QRZ.COM, and send me an e-mail if you'd like to be added to this list of links! There have been others, who simply didn't want to be listed, and I respect their desire for privacy. What we need to do, is POLITELY REBUKE the people who send this inappropriate stuff... if they refuse, then we just have to completely ignore them, treat them like QRM, capture the images and forward them to Riley Hollingsworth at the FCC. The FCC will deal with them, eventually. He carries a BIG Wouff Hong, and he knows how to use it!
Sadly, the N5HQ SSTV CAM page that I used to have here is no more! <:( The guy had to move and shut it down. I miss it already! <:(

This isn't Ham Radio, but I'm sure many of you folks are into Star Trek! You've GOTTA check out this amazing new "Fan Fiction" episode! These guys have done what many of us only dreamed of... they made their own Star Trek (TOS) episode! It's quite good, very detailed, and the SOUND EFFECTS will blow you away! When I watched it, I was taken back to fond childhood memories of playing Star Trek with my brother & a friend.

Click this link. Download the EPISODE.
Trust me, if you like Star Trek, you'll love this! :)
New Voyages banner
Star Trek: The New Voyages

Visitors to THIS PAGE since 5/27/06 :)

Misc. LINKS...

Are you going to HEAVEN? Check out this WEBSITE.

Do you own any BOATANCHORS that you wish you had MANUALS for?
Check out This site for BOATANCHOR MANUALS!

Here's a Christian HAM radio net, meets most nights at about 9pm, on 3905Khz! www.thespiritnet.net

Something to make you say, "Hmmmm..."

Like my various QRP RIGS, this page is...

ALWAYS Under Construction!

It can only get better as I keep taking more whacks at it! ;)
S-l-e-d-g-e h-a-m-m-e-r

Please visit my work page, also. MyMorningLight.ORG!

I HATE SPAM!!

(The e-mail kind, that is!)
If you hate it, too, there *IS* something you can do about it!
SPAMCOP.NET is a WEBsite specifically designed to help you FIGHT SPAM!
Click this button to find out more!

Christian Internet Code of Ethics

As a Christian who is active on the internet,
I hold myself to certain standards of conduct. They are:

I guard my online relationships
I am careful to visit websites that do not compromise my life in Christ
I take care that my written communications reflect Christ in my life
I guard my time to assure that my time online is kept in proper balance with the rest of my life

For more information visit the
Christian Internet Code of Ethics home page.