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Topics - ThaDood

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1
Equipment / Don't pass up those 1980's Radio Shack Mixers!
« on: May 23, 2024, 2019 UTC »
With the Vinyl Revival now in a full-swing, let's talk about gear to use with that vinyl. OK, you have a couple of turntables, that use magnet cartrige pick-ups, but no line-level preamps built-in. You could buy a Magnet Level to Line-Level extrnal preamp, but one tool that I've always found useful, from the 1980's, 1990's, and even more so now, are the cheap Radio Shack, Realistic Mixing boards, CAT # 32-1200 and #32-1100, as seen from this link.    https://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/flipbook/1986_radioshack_catalog.html?fb3d-page=53    Many of today's cheap and moderately priced mixers do not have an input for Magnet Cartrige Level turntables, but these mixers did, and are still widely available used. Yes, they will require clean-up, and some maintenance, like spraying contact cleaner in the slide POT's, RCA Phono Inputs / Outputs, switches, Cue buttons, and headphone jack. However, very doable. Want to add cassette decks, DVD audio, CD payer, Open Reel Deck, MiniDisc, 8-Track, MP3 audio, or something else? These mixers will still perform and be very valid to do so, today. I, have several of these mixers in my production A/V studios and On-Air Part 15 studio, and they are by no means obsolete. If, you see them for cheap, don't pass them up.

2
Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Part 15 products from Schlockwood Laboratory? Worth a look!
« on: May 14, 2024, 1823 UTC »
https://www.schlockwood.com/   Look under Products for the audio processor and AM Monitor. Then, check out under Projects.

3
The RF Workbench / Low-cost RF synthesizer uses generic ICs?
« on: May 10, 2024, 1757 UTC »
https://www.edn.com/low-cost-rf-synthesizer-uses-generic-ics/  Boomer and I were talking about what could you use a crystal, that was common in 1980's digital watches, for. Well, this was his answer. Neat!!!!

4
Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Audio/Visual Part 15 Antenna Tuning Indicator?
« on: May 06, 2024, 1716 UTC »
Certainly looks simple enough.    https://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=401204   (Thank you Boomer for FWD that!)

5
Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / College Carrier-Current AM stations still on-air? Check out WPPJ!
« on: April 23, 2024, 2006 UTC »
https://www.pointpark.edu/academics/schools/schoolofcommunication/studentmedia/wppj    and     https://wppjradio.com/   and     https://www.pointpark.edu/studentlife/features/wppjstudentradio     Unfortunately, none of the TX gear is seen, but from what I've been told, they are running old LPB, Inc., gear.  Any of y'all been there?

6
General Radio Discussion / Me??? Several radios...
« on: April 23, 2024, 1941 UTC »
I still have a Sangean ATS-803A portable at bedside to listen to MW and HF HAM's, usually connected to the W.O.G. antenna. And, also tried, and have kept, a cheap Yorek YK-901 DSP radio, mainly for FM. Then, I'll use transceivers for QSO'ing and DX'ing, Like a Kenwood TS-2000X, TS-50S, Xiegu G90 SDR rig, Icom IC-745, and even the O.E.M. stereo in the vehicle for AM / FM DX'ing, especially 1710kHz. Then, I'll still use as a portable an Eton E10.

7
10/11 meters / Rare, April Sporadic "E" late night on 27MHz, 4/20/2024, 05:30UTC.
« on: April 21, 2024, 0115 UTC »
Just when I thought that F2 was done for the night, around 03:00UTC, I was surprised to hear some weak activity on CB's 38LSB on at 01:30UTC. Not talking DX, to to each other, about 3 - 4 "S" unit. Tuned around and heard the Superbowl CH6 hopping, with several stations shouting-out from Illinois. However, it's AM CH28 that caught my interest. At first, thought that to be skip, but it was a couple of locals, one at S3 and the other at S5. Then, someone broke-in from Kansas City, MO. He, eventual came in at S10/9. Then, a couple of other Kansas stations joined-in, and there was a QSO from KS to WV for over 30min. Still going, even after 06:00UTC, but fading. So, they signed-off with each other soon afterwards. Well, that's why Sporadic "E" is call just that. You'll never really know when that just comes around.

8
Equipment / WQVR(AM) Is Granted CP to Use HEBA Antenna at Night. RW rip...
« on: April 19, 2024, 1752 UTC »
From Radio World:   https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/headlines/wqvram-is-granted-cp-to-use-heba-antenna-at-night
Well, I think that at least it's intriguing.  (THANKS Boomer, for the link!)

9
Weather / 1670 AM TIS on-air for recent floods in Etna, PA?
« on: April 13, 2024, 1837 UTC »
News from Boomer:  "Believe it or not, the TIS on 1670 activated recently with real emergency info and not just the loop. It's up the river in Etna PA, far away, but my Kiwi can get it. First time I ever heard them with actual emergency info." Well, that's at least different.

10
Weather / West Virginian storms take-out WCHS towers, Tuesday, 4/2/2024.
« on: April 05, 2024, 1942 UTC »
https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/headlines/wind-storm-knocks-down-two-radio-towers-serving-west-virginia-am  FWR'ed by Boomer of WAG 690AM. Gee... And I thought that my AM1620 took a hit, where the 9ft copper pipe was ripped off the mounts. BTW, that Array of 580AM WCHS over looks the cities of Dunbar, South Charleston, and Institute, WV. What's weird is that they didn't mention this on their website, but mentioned being off-air, when I tuned-in to the Cross lanes 104.5FM translator, which came back on 1st. Yep... It's a mess down here, but could have been a lot worst, since this storm happened about two weeks before the foliage came back on the trees. About mid-April is when trees have the leaves back here. So, dodged a bullet there.

11
Huh? / This, must have been a dream-job for many! WHRC-FM 1980's interview.
« on: March 27, 2024, 1929 UTC »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsrtj5WsZxc      THANK YOU Boomer for that find! Incedential, I was there, (Port Henry, NY), in 1987, but not to tune-in to this station, it was to buy a Champ T-shirt, the Lake Champlaigne sea monster. And, the station that I was listening to then was the AOR station out of Plattsburg, NY. Almost wish that I've tuned-in to that station now.

12
Other / Japanese QSO on VHF MURS CH1? More than once.
« on: March 25, 2024, 1910 UTC »
Late Friday night / Saturday morning, around 1:30AM EST, myself and a HAM friend of mine, heard mobile traffic on VHF MURS CH1, 151.820MHz FM. That, in itself is not too unusual, but these dudes were speaking Japanese. One, was using a Baofang HT, due to the recognition of its Roger-Beep. Thinking, that they were on Rt. 64, about 4 miles away is the closest point to me. I heard them on the scanner, with an indoor antenna. Then, heard them again last night around 1:30AM EST, SUN night / MON morning. Contractors rolling through? That, was different.

13
Huh? / Radio Survivor #337 podcast, and more, like two radio movies coming out.
« on: March 23, 2024, 1926 UTC »
https://www.radiosurvivor.com/2024/03/podcast-337-catching-up-on-radio-news-including-lpfm-a-college-radio-archive-documentaries-and-more/   They are back, for a new podcast and INFO on two radio flicks coming out, 35,000 Watts, about college radio, and 40 Watts To Nowhere, about a pirate station. Good to know.

https://www.35000watts.com/  Huh... They had a screening for that in semi-close-by Marshall UNI.

https://www.amazon.com/40-Watts-Nowhere-Journey-Pirate/dp/0743229886  Well, there's a li k for the book on that one.  Looks like they are still trying to fund this one.  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kblt/40-watts-from-nowhere-the-kblt-documentary

14
Software / Long-lost, earliest MS-DOS precursor was discovered in a floppy disk collection?
« on: March 19, 2024, 1712 UTC »
I really suck in software, and always have. However, even I thought this interesting. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/this-long-lost-earliest-ms-dos-precursor-was-discovered-in-a-floppy-disk-collection/ar-AA1mwLzg?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=1705359b24564e9fa126e5fdc3a2e714&ei=38  I still remember 12" floppy disks for loading industrial CRT test machines for Toshiba in the late 1980's. I still have 5.25" floppy disks, but nothing to run those on. I do still have 3" diskettes and several DOS and WIN 3.1 softwares. How many pirate, and other station, loggings do you still have on MS-DOS?

15
10/11 meters / OK, here we go with the West Coast CB CH 38LSB, 27.365MHz, '1, 1, 1, 1', jammer.
« on: March 17, 2024, 1857 UTC »
https://www.reddit.com/r/cbradio/comments/18a6rlg/what_is_this_interference_i_get_fading_in_and_out/   Since the beginning of Cycle 25's F2 Propagation, this dude has been heard on the East Coast, most days, for years doing this. (What's he using to cool his finals, and where do I get them?) He certainly doesn't cool tempers over here during the daylight hours, and even about 2 hours after sunset. That does make for an interesting Propagational Beacon, but that's an interest that wears-off within seconds. In West Virginia, it's a strong, S9, +S10/9, even stronger at times, signal over here. Hey... At least this dude is too far to be heard by me when it's Sporadic "E" season.

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