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#7483 From: D1028Gary@...
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:02 pm
Subject: Re: Re: Electricity out (4am), suggestions for TPs 2 try w/PL-...
dxergary
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Hi Stephen,
 
Thanks for your comments, and I'll try to answer your questions one by one.
 
"I don't really care much about any longwave boost (in fact I don't think I even have anything close to me that would even be detectable WITH a 7.5" Slider loopstick -- anyone have a suggestion for a website for me to check? btw I'm within about a mile of 32°46'N 116°57'W), but I do want a sizeable boost on MW if at all possible. At minimum, I'd like an improvement comparable to what you got, Gary, on longwave. (I really didn't notice much of a boost on mediumwave in the examples you posted.)
If I could get a boost like the one in the link below, that would be nice.
http://cid-6bdd1917662288cb.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/AM%20radio%20files/SW20^JSAT%20compare%20-%20670^J%20930^J%20970^J%20980.mp3
That's my previous radio (Panasonic RQ-SW20), barefoot then with the Select-A-Tenna, on 670, 930, 970 and 980."
 
Well, Stephen, it would be nice to get an AM sensitivity boost on the "Stealth PL-380" just like the huge LW enhancement, but trying out any new loopstick design is something like opening a Christmas present-- the result could be anything from phenomenal to abominable. My goal in the $5 modification project was simply to achieve a significant boost in AM sensitivity from 530-1700 kHz, and although the "significant" part is open to debate, I'm pretty satisfied with the AM results. Someone with more time could experiment with different Litz wire in attempts to get a greater boost, but my own impression is that the AM sensitivity in the "Stealth" model is fairly close to the maximum, when the stock ferrite bar is recycled.
 
  "I'll eventually want to build one of those several-foot-diameter loops to inductively couple with the PL-380, though. My Select-A-Tenna just doesn't cut it anymore. Would it be possible, say, with a 6' diameter loop (or should I keep it to 4'?), to have a sizeable boost -- say, take a signal from completely undetectable on the stock barefoot PL-380 (and maybe only just barely hetting on Gary's stealth PL-380), to a full 63dBu, 25dB S/N signal with the loop? Another way to put it, I guess, is with a multi-foot external loop, I'd want performance comparable to what Bruce Carter (he posts as rbrucecarter5 on the radio-info.com board) gets with his antennas, or better if possible"
 
Stephen, in answer to your question, a 6' sided PVC tuned passive loop does have the ability to boost the PL-380's AM sensitivity to enable reception of many DX stations completely inaudible on the barefoot unit, but not up to the 63 dBu, 25dB level. That level is unnecessary in actual DXing, anyway. Most of the time the 6' loop will take a station completely inaudible on the barefoot unit and boost it up to a moderate level, such as this recording of 1575-Radio Farda here in December:  http://www.mediafire.com/?jji22kjj0q1  Radio Farda was completely inaudible on any of the stock Ultralights at the time. You can use larger loops for better DX signal quality, but none of them will boost inaudible stations up to the 63 dBu level.
 
   Also, when I do the loopstick mod, I don't have a (LCR/inductance/?) meter, so anyone have suggestions for how to do it without one? Also, I understand you usually will check 1700kHz to make sure you don't get the lockup on the high end of the band with the coil winding. I have a local on 1700 that is right now (2:10am) showing about 33dBu and 15dB S/N - is that too strong of a signal already to use as a test signal? Or should I use the weak TIS from about 15 miles away on 1620 that is next to a semi-local (comparable signal to 1700, or maybe a bit weaker) on 1630? Or, what about the one from about 85-95 miles away on 1670 that in the daytime is basically undetectable most of the time, but at night is about as strong as 1700? (Or, what about the San Diego Airport TIS on 1690, that even before 1700 was on the air, was barely detectable on my previous radio even WITH the Select-A-Tenna?)

"Also, when I do the loopstick mod, I don't have a (LCR/inductance/?) meter, so anyone have suggestions for how to do it without one? Also, I understand you usually will check 1700kHz to make sure you don't get the lockup on the high end of the band with the coil winding. I have a local on 1700 that is right now (2:10am) showing about 33dBu and 15dB S/N - is that too strong of a signal already to use as a test signal? Or should I use the weak TIS from about 15 miles away on 1620 that is next to a semi-local (comparable signal to 1700, or maybe a bit weaker) on 1630? Or, what about the one from about 85-95 miles away on 1670 that in the daytime is basically undetectable most of the time, but at night is about as strong as 1700? (Or, what about the San Diego Airport TIS on 1690, that even before 1700 was on the air, was barely detectable on my previous radio even WITH the Select-A-Tenna?)"
 
Stephen, the loopstick coil turn-subtracting strategy (to solve an Si4734 varactor lock-up issue on the X-band frequencies) during the PL-380 "Stealth Mod" loopstick tuning was a new method that worked great for me, but then I don't have any locals around 1700 kHz. I was tuned to that frequency when subtracting the turns, when suddenly the San Diego (actually Tijuana, Mexico) station on that frequency boomed in like a local, when I subtracted the last coil turn. During the entire process I didn't rely on the LCR meter at all, but I did record the coil inductance after the process was successful (433 uh). This was done on two different PL-380 "Stealth" models (and Steve Ratzlaff also presumably used this method, to tune his own modified PL-380 loopstick coil), so the procedure certainly seems to work. If you have locals around 1700 kHz, go down in frequency until you have "00" showing on the PL-380's S/N reading, and subtract coil turns one by one until the radio has a great sensitivity boost on that frequency. Such a strategy will probably provide adequate coil tuning, but if an LCR meter is available, simply winding a 40/44 Litz wire coil on the stock ferrite bar for an inductance of 433 uh should work just as well (assuming that Tecsun and Silicon Labs don't change anything on us :-)
 
73, Gary        


 
In a message dated 1/22/2010 2:43:26 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, pianoplayer88key@... writes:
 

Ok... lol... seems that this thread kinda got a bit disorganized :) so my "replies" may be likewise a bit out of order.

So apparently you can use a ceramic tile saw to cut a ferrite rod. Would it be possible to cut a rod down its length so I could put a 4" (or 5") Amidon-61 rod in the spot where the normal loopstick is?

Or, would it be better to consider putting Eneloop (or other slow-discharge) AAA batteries in the spot where the loopstick now is, and putting the 5" (after it's cut to size) 0.5" Amidon bar in the spot where the 2 batteries in line are (while leaving the 3rd AA there)? Also, considering I don't really want to have to unscrew the back of the radio every time I need to charge the batteries (normally I pull the dead set out and put a new one in, then charge the flat ones), is the built-in charger hardware smart enough to charge those different types of batteries (different capacity, etc)?

Jim_kr1s, no, I didn't need the heat. :) We have a wood-burning stove, and before I went to bed (around 5am) the temp on my PL-380 was showing 70°F.
I just have trouble hearing ANY hets at all - am I just trying at the wrong time, or using the wrong techniques or something.... or should I give up on trying to get a TP sandwiched between a local station's main signal and its IBOC carrier, when that local station is 63dBu and 25dB S/N?

(Gary Debock:) "Your comments remind me of the Words of Wisdom a fellow tinkering fanatic shared with me during my Navy days: "You can do almost anything you want to boost up the performance of a circuit, depending upon how much time and money you are willing to invest." :-) Since you have been in the ULR group since the very beginning, no doubt you have been amazed (and amused) as various innocent Ultralights have had their IF filters and loopsticks ripped out and discarded, in favor of bizarre modifications to increase transoceanic reception. Having been the culprit primarily responsible for this demolition-related activity, I take full responsibility for my actions."

LOL. :)

I do have a $$ limit (getting the 7.5" Amidon rod would be a stretch, but a 4" or 6" might be doable, plus the Litz wire), but I'm much more flexible on time.

I don't really care much about any longwave boost (in fact I don't think I even have anything close to me that would even be detectable WITH a 7.5" Slider loopstick -- anyone have a suggestion for a website for me to check? btw I'm within about a mile of 32°46'N 116°57'W), but I do want a sizeable boost on MW if at all possible. At minimum, I'd like an improvement comparable to what you got, Gary, on longwave. (I really didn't notice much of a boost on mediumwave in the examples you posted.)
If I could get a boost like the one in the link below, that would be nice.
http://cid-6bdd1917662288cb.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/AM%20radio%20files/SW20^JSAT%20compare%20-%20670^J%20930^J%20970^J%20980.mp3
That's my previous radio (Panasonic RQ-SW20), barefoot then with the Select-A-Tenna, on 670, 930, 970 and 980.

I'll eventually want to build one of those several-foot-diameter loops to inductively couple with the PL-380, though. My Select-A-Tenna just doesn't cut it anymore. Would it be possible, say, with a 6' diameter loop (or should I keep it to 4'?), to have a sizeable boost -- say, take a signal from completely undetectable on the stock barefoot PL-380 (and maybe only just barely hetting on Gary's stealth PL-380), to a full 63dBu, 25dB S/N signal with the loop? Another way to put it, I guess, is with a multi-foot external loop, I'd want performance comparable to what Bruce Carter (he posts as rbrucecarter5 on the radio-info.com board) gets with his antennas, or better if possible.

Also, when I do the loopstick mod, I don't have a (LCR/inductance/?) meter, so anyone have suggestions for how to do it without one? Also, I understand you usually will check 1700kHz to make sure you don't get the lockup on the high end of the band with the coil winding. I have a local on 1700 that is right now (2:10am) showing about 33dBu and 15dB S/N - is that too strong of a signal already to use as a test signal? Or should I use the weak TIS from about 15 miles away on 1620 that is next to a semi-local (comparable signal to 1700, or maybe a bit weaker) on 1630? Or, what about the one from about 85-95 miles away on 1670 that in the daytime is basically undetectable most of the time, but at night is about as strong as 1700? (Or, what about the San Diego Airport TIS on 1690, that even before 1700 was on the air, was barely detectable on my previous radio even WITH the Select-A-Tenna?)


#7482 From: "Stephen" <pianoplayer88key@...>
Date: Sat Jan 23, 2010 12:58 am
Subject: Re: Electricity out (4am), suggestions for TPs 2 try w/PL-...
pianoplayer8...
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I'm definitely interrested in learning more about the mod you're speaking of. 
Also, would it possibly have the added benefit of getting the loopstick away
from the LCD, DSP chip, CPU, etc, and cutting down on some internal noise, or
would it either not make a difference, or, introduce some new noise due to
nearby componnents at the new location?

Also, what about powering the radio when it's not plugged in, and replacing
batteries as necessary?  I don't want to take the back stand off and put a D96L
battery there, as I've seen referenced in another post.

If I was going to use the same spot as the original loopstick to put the modded
stick, would a 0.25" OD 4" (longest in that size) stick work there, or would it
need to be cut down its length?  Or what about a bunch of 0.03" OD 0.3" long
sticks together, like a mini version of some of the fancy outdoor loopsticks
I've seen in a loopstick article (one of which is like a 6-8' stick)?


--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "nn4cw" <gilstacy@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Stephen,
> Gary has pointed out in previous posts that the Amidon's thickness, .5" OD,
prevents it from being used where the stock ferrite lies.  Major plastic
trimming to allow a fit looks risky in that it appears trimming would have to be
done on a circuit board as well.  The risk would be cutting board traces that
interconnect components.
> I have ordered some flat lipoly batteries that will fit in a vacant spot in
the radio.  I plan on checking the charging circuit in the rx to see if that
will work with these batteries.  I don't forsee a problem. I will alligator clip
them to the correct spots in the existing battery box for testing the charging
circuit.
> The plan is to then use a 4" Amidon .5 OD rod where the two batteries lie
inline.  With a minimum amount of surgery, a 5" Amidon work could fit inside the
cabinetry.  No circuit boards are at risk. I have a 6" rod that I can trim.
> It will probably be next week before I do the work.
> Once again, I try to "fix" a radio that isn't broken. ;)
> 73 Gil
>

#7481 From: "Robert S.Ross VA3SW" <va3sw@...>
Date: Sat Jan 23, 2010 12:17 am
Subject: ULR DX....SUNSET SKIP....Southern Bonanza....2 NEW ONES...+ 3 From FLORIDA!!
ve3jfc
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HI Guys:

   Amazing DX conditions tonight at SUNSET to the SOUTH!! Logged a pile
of Stations from Tenn/VA/NC/FLORIDA. Included in the lot is 2 NEW
STATIONS for both the ULR and OVERALL LOGS. Also heard 3 Stations from
FLORIDA..but they are all Relogs for both Logs. However hearing 3
Stations from FLORIDA in less than an hour is a New Experience for me!!

Also heard was a GRAVEYARD Station with NEW CALLS for a RELOG.

Radio Used was......SONY SRF-T615 ULR BAREFOOT
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ULR LOG TOTALS are now.......794 Stations Heard
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

73......ROB VA3SW

Robert S. Ross
London, Ontario CANADA

**************************************************************
1150 WGOW Chattanooga, TENN. Jan/22/10 1659 EST   EE  FAIR
Station Promo with mentions of NEWS TALK RADIO. ID @ 1700 by
Male DJ as "News Talk 1150 WGOW RADIO". Intop News @ 1700 EST.
In CKOC Null.

NEW STN         ULR # 793     5/1 KW
ROSS, ONT.
***************************************************************
820 WGGM Chester, VA.  Jan/22/10   1732 EST    EE   FAIR
Male with Talk in the Jumble and gave ID as "WGGM". Into Religious
Talk by Male and another ID as "WGGM" @ 1733 EST.
In CHAM Null.

NEW STN       ULR # 794    10/1 KW
ROSS, ONT.
****************************************************************
1340 WJRW Grand Rapids, MICH. Jan/22/10 1800 EST  EE  GOOD
ID as "You're listening to WJRW Grand Rapids". ID by Male DJ.
Into News by Female DJ @ 1800 EST.

RELOG...NEW CALLS EX-WBBL    1 KW
ROSS, ONT.
***************************************************************
1320 WBOB Jacksonville, FLA. Jan/22/10 1706 EST   EE   FAIR
Talk about North Florida. ID as "Jacksonville's Talk Station
1320 WBOB". @ 1706 EST. Station Promo into Ads for North Florida.

RELOG                   50/5 KW
ROSS, ONT.
***************************************************************
690 WOKV   Jacksonville, FLA. Jan/22/10 1722 EST   EE  GOOD
Sean Hannity Show @ 1722 EST. ID as "Jacksonville's News Talk
Radio Station WOKV". Ads with Promos for Hannity Listeners.
Car Ad for North Florida...St. John's Town Center and the
Duvall 2000 Race???

RELOG                   50/25 KW
ROSS, ONT.
***************************************************************
1080 WHOO Kissimmee, FLA. Jan/22/10  1742 EST   EE  GOOD
Local Traffic Report for Orlando area @ 1742 EST.
ID by Male DJ as "1080 The Team". Home Depot Ad. Courtesy Car
Ad @ 1745 EST....then Abruptly GONE @ 1745  Power Switch.

RELOG                     19KW/190 Watts
ROSS, ONT.
***************************************************************

#7480 From: "Michael" <cglynn321@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:39 pm
Subject: Re: 2 New Ones
cglynn321
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Hi John
Interested to know how what other UL's you have and how the 310 compares to
them.I have been siting on the fence trying to decide between the 380 and the
310.
Thanks
Michael Glynn
Niagara Falls, Canada

--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "john445" <john445@...> wrote:
>
> Hello all:
>
> Received the Tecsun PL-310 yesterday putting me at three ultralights.
Interesting the English manual cover says PL-310, but the insides is all about
the PL-380.
>
> 540 WAUK Jackson WI 1/22/10 2145U Ads, mention of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Bucks
and ESPN Wisconsin several times. (Tecsun PL-310 BF)
>
> 680 WMFS Memphis TN 1/22/10 2250U ESPN Radio, matched web broadcast, talking
about player Rudy Gay of Memphis Grizzlies. (Eton E100 BF)
>
> John Mosman
> WPE9GIZ
> Madison, WI
>

#7479 From: "john445" <john445@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:14 pm
Subject: 2 New Ones
john445
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Hello all:

Received the Tecsun PL-310 yesterday putting me at three ultralights.
Interesting the English manual cover says PL-310, but the insides is all about
the PL-380.

540 WAUK Jackson WI 1/22/10 2145U Ads, mention of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Bucks and
ESPN Wisconsin several times. (Tecsun PL-310 BF)

680 WMFS Memphis TN 1/22/10 2250U ESPN Radio, matched web broadcast, talking
about player Rudy Gay of Memphis Grizzlies. (Eton E100 BF)

John Mosman
WPE9GIZ
Madison, WI

#7478 From: D1028Gary@...
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:19 pm
Subject: Re: Re: First time loop winder
dxergary
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"Very well put. I am the one who asked the loop winding question, and I will certainly post my results when I am finished. After a long hiatus from MW listening, I have gotten back into it over the last year or so with a vengeance thanks to the good people in this group and the purchase of a Tecsun 300, 310 and 380, and I will probably get amother 380 to do a stealth mod once I get the 7.5" transplant done,"

Hi Barry,
 
Thanks for your generous words, and as you proceed to construct your 7.5" loopstick PL-380 and Stealth PL-380, please feel free to ask for any material or assistance, so that you can be just as thrilled with the DXing performance of the models as me.
 
The 36" Collapsible-frame PVC Loop article is a top- priority project here (one of about five, currently :-) which has already been partially completed. The fascinating results of hot-rodding the PL-380 model have temporarily side-tracked this effort, but I can assure you that the DXing performance of these pack-away 36", 48" and 60" tuned passive loops provides just as much DXing "bang for the buck" as anything ever coming out of this fanatical tinkering shack. Thanks for your interest!
 
73 and Good DX, Gary 
 
   In a message dated 1/22/2010 11:17:28 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, bgelb2@... writes: 
 
John,
 
Very well put. I am the one who asked the loop winding question, and I will certainly post my results when I am finished. After a long hiatus from MW listening, I have gotten back into it over the last year or so with a vengeance thanks to the good people in this group and the purchase of a Tecsun 300, 310 and 380, and I will probably get amother 380 to do a stealth mod once I get the 7.5" transplant donehn,


Sony 2010 purchased new in 1992 from Gilfer in New Jersey (remember them?) which has had the Kiwa wide filter and audio mods done, and a rebuilt Hammarlund HQ-180AX, which should outlive me (not that I'm that old, I'm 55) as it is an absolute tank. I am handcuffed as far as antennas go since I have a small yard, so I have a Wellbrook 330s, a Quantum Loop, a CC Crane Twin Coil Ferrite and a Select-a tenna. I also want to try my hand at a PVC loop this summer from Gary DeBock's articles, particularly the 36" collapsible loop. Also, being in Northeast Queens, NY, about 2.5 miles from 50k blowtorches WCBS 880 and WFAN 660 doesnt help, but I do my best.

I also have a
Again, thanks to John Bryant and all the other wizards in this group.

Barry Gelb
Bayside, NY

--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "John H. Bryant" <bjohnorcas@...> wrote:
>
> This recent exchange with, primarily, Gary DeBock
> in suburban Seattle-Tacoma and Roy Dyball in
> Australia helping an Ultralighter who was
> beginning his first ferrite rod-coil winding is a
> great example of what makes this group so
> special.... great positive attitudes and a very
> real willingness to help each other over our
> personal rough spots. Bravo, guys!!!
>
> Over 25 years ago, when I was getting back into
> radio after a 25 year hiatus, Gerry Dexter, who
> literally wrote the book on SWBC and MW QSLing
> told me "You know, John, it's not the great DX
> catches or the QSLs, but rather the many friends
> that I've made that really make the hobby great!"
> At the time, I was just back in and climbing up
> the ladder of SWBC countries QSLed and I said "Yeah, right, Gerry!!!"
>
> Geez, old Gerry was absolutely right! I've made
> a passel of new friends here, that I value very
> much.... and renewed many old ones, too... on top
> of that, I've learned huge amounts about various
> aspects of Ultralighting and, really, radio in general and had a BARREL of fun.
>
> I've got to get another cup of coffee and start
> on over 25 more DXing award certificates that
> have been checked and verified by Rob Ross this
> week.... but it sure is nice to stop for a few
> minutes to think about the bigger picture. It is
> very nice to have you all around. It makes my
> life much richer. Yours, too, I hope!
>
> John Bryant
> Moderator
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 03:18 AM 1/22/2010 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >In a message dated 1/21/2010 11:56:01 P.M.
> >Pacific Standard Time, roy.dyball@... writes:
> >
> >Also remember if you are dynamically tuning your
> >loopstick by unwinding turns or repositioning
> >it, that with every change you make to the
> >loopstick you must steep off the frequency you
> >are on and then steep back again, this gives the
> >Si4734 a chance to update its varactor and
> >choose a new corresponding value for the change you just made.
> >
> >Cheers Roy.
> >
> >Hello Roy,
> >
> >Thanks for mentioning this. In the dynamic
> >tuning of the PL-380 "stealth models" (a 40/44
> >Litz wire coil of about 433 uh inductance on the
> >stock ferrite bar), I found this was very true.
> >In both of my two models, the original coil of
> >about 500 uh had an Si4734 varactor lock-up
> >issue on the high AM band frequencies, and coil
> >turns needed to be subtracted one by one until
> >the radio had a sudden boost of sensitivity on
> >1700 kHz. (There was no option to use a Slider
> >coil for loopstick tuning purposes, since the
> >flat stock ferrite bar was geometrically unsuitable as a Slider coil base).
> >
> >After the sudden rush of increased 1700 kHz
> >sensitivity on the PL-380 when the inductance
> >was lowered to 433 uh, it was necessary to move
> >off of the frequency and then back to 1700 kHz,
> >to judge the final RSSI increase after the
> >modification. The dynamic signal
> >"turn-subtracting" strategy (to lower the coil
> >inductance to a level acceptable to the
> >varactor) was a weird idea that ended up giving great results.
> >
> >73, Gary
> >
> >
> >
> >
>


#7477 From: "bgcpa54" <bgelb2@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:16 pm
Subject: Re: First time loop winder
bgcpa54
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
John,

Very well put.  I am the one who asked the loop winding question, and I will
certainly post my results when I am finished. After a long hiatus from MW
listening, I have gotten back into it over the last year or so with a vengeance
thanks to the good people in this group and the purchase of a Tecsun 300, 310
and 380, and I will probably get amother 380 to do a stealth mod once I get the
7.5" transplant done.

I also have a Sony 2010 purchased new in 1992 from Gilfer in New Jersey
(remember them?) which has had the Kiwa wide filter and audio mods done, and a
rebuilt Hammarlund HQ-180AX, which should outlive me (not that I'm that old, I'm
55) as it is an absolute tank. I am handcuffed as far as antennas go since I
have a small yard, so I have a Wellbrook 330s, a Quantum Loop, a CC Crane Twin
Coil Ferrite and a Select-a tenna. I also want to try my hand at a PVC loop this
summer from Gary DeBock's articles, particularly the 36" collapsible loop. Also,
being in Northeast Queens, NY, about 2.5 miles from 50k blowtorches WCBS 880 and
WFAN 660 doesnt help, but I do my best.

Again, thanks to John Bryant and all the other wizards in this group.

Barry Gelb
Bayside, NY

--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "John H. Bryant" <bjohnorcas@...> wrote:
>
> This recent exchange with, primarily, Gary DeBock
> in suburban Seattle-Tacoma and Roy Dyball in
> Australia helping an Ultralighter who was
> beginning his first ferrite rod-coil winding is a
> great example of what makes this group so
> special....  great positive attitudes and a very
> real willingness to help each other over our
> personal rough spots. Bravo, guys!!!
>
> Over 25 years ago, when I was getting back into
> radio after a 25 year hiatus, Gerry Dexter, who
> literally wrote the book on SWBC and MW QSLing
> told me "You know, John, it's not the great DX
> catches or the QSLs, but rather the many friends
> that I've made that really make the hobby great!"
> At the time, I was just back in and climbing up
> the ladder of SWBC countries QSLed and I said "Yeah, right, Gerry!!!"
>
> Geez, old Gerry was absolutely right!  I've made
> a passel of new friends here, that I value very
> much.... and renewed many old ones, too... on top
> of that, I've learned huge amounts about various
> aspects of Ultralighting and, really, radio in general and had a BARREL of
fun.
>
> I've got to get another cup of coffee and start
> on over 25 more DXing award certificates that
> have been checked and verified by Rob Ross this
> week.... but it sure is nice to stop for a few
> minutes to think about the bigger picture.  It is
> very nice to have you all around. It makes my
> life much richer.  Yours, too, I hope!
>
> John Bryant
> Moderator
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 03:18 AM 1/22/2010 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >In a message dated 1/21/2010 11:56:01 P.M.
> >Pacific Standard Time, roy.dyball@... writes:
> >
> >Also remember if you are dynamically tuning your
> >loopstick by unwinding turns or repositioning
> >it, that with every change you make to the
> >loopstick you must steep off the frequency you
> >are on and then steep back again, this gives the
> >Si4734 a chance to update its varactor and
> >choose a new corresponding value for the change you just made.
> >
> >Cheers Roy.
> >
> >Hello Roy,
> >
> >Thanks for mentioning this. In the dynamic
> >tuning of the PL-380 "stealth models" (a 40/44
> >Litz wire coil of about 433 uh inductance on the
> >stock ferrite bar), I found this was very true.
> >In both of my two models, the original coil of
> >about 500 uh had an Si4734 varactor lock-up
> >issue on the high AM band frequencies, and coil
> >turns needed to be subtracted one by one until
> >the radio had a sudden boost of sensitivity on
> >1700 kHz. (There was no option to use a Slider
> >coil for loopstick tuning purposes, since the
> >flat stock ferrite bar was geometrically unsuitable as a Slider coil base).
> >
> >After the sudden rush of increased 1700 kHz
> >sensitivity on the PL-380 when the inductance
> >was lowered to 433 uh, it was necessary to move
> >off of the frequency and then back to 1700 kHz,
> >to judge the final RSSI increase after the
> >modification. The dynamic signal
> >"turn-subtracting" strategy (to lower the coil
> >inductance to a level acceptable to the
> >varactor) was a weird idea that ended up giving great results.
> >
> >73, Gary
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

#7476 From: "nn4cw" <gilstacy@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:56 pm
Subject: Re: Electricity out (4am), suggestions for TPs 2 try w/PL-...
nn4cw
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Stephen,
Gary has pointed out in previous posts that the Amidon's thickness, .5" OD,
prevents it from being used where the stock ferrite lies.  Major plastic
trimming to allow a fit looks risky in that it appears trimming would have to be
done on a circuit board as well.  The risk would be cutting board traces that
interconnect components.
I have ordered some flat lipoly batteries that will fit in a vacant spot in the
radio.  I plan on checking the charging circuit in the rx to see if that will
work with these batteries.  I don't forsee a problem. I will alligator clip them
to the correct spots in the existing battery box for testing the charging
circuit.
The plan is to then use a 4" Amidon .5 OD rod where the two batteries lie
inline.  With a minimum amount of surgery, a 5" Amidon work could fit inside the
cabinetry.  No circuit boards are at risk. I have a 6" rod that I can trim.
It will probably be next week before I do the work.
Once again, I try to "fix" a radio that isn't broken. ;)
73 Gil

#7475 From: keith beesley <keith1226@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:18 pm
Subject: Re: Grundig G6 - ultralight or not?
keith1226
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Hi gpsblake,

The G6 is an ultralight, but if you're shopping for a radio for MW DXing, I
wouldn't recommend it. I have one and rarely use it. There are better options,
such as the G8/PL300wt, which is a stronger performer for half the price. But,
if you already have a G6, you can work with it. Just my opinion.

73,

Keith B.

--- On Thu, 1/21/10, gpsblake <gpsblake@...> wrote:

> From: gpsblake <gpsblake@...>
> Subject: [ultralightdx] Grundig G6 - ultralight or not?
> To: ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Thursday, January 21, 2010, 11:38 PM
> I saw a list of radios and this one
> was not included. I know it's small enough to be an
> ultralight but is there a reason this one doesn't count as
> an ultralight?
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>     ultralightdx-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>

#7474 From: "jim_kr1s" <jkearman@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:06 pm
Subject: 1160 after dark
jim_kr1s
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Not exactly the Playboy Channel, but there's lot to like about 1160 kHz. John Bryant encouraged me to report loggings and apply for awards, so I took the PL-380 out of the breadbox last night and hooked it up to a radio-tuned air loop. After knocking off Croatia and Morocco at sunset, the band seemed to collapse down here. Time to look for close-in stuff! After a brief hiatus to watch some TV, I snagged a couple of new domestic stations.

1160 0344Z WJFJ     Tryon, NC Religious station begging for money, giving local phone number, which differentiated it from WYLL. 500 W, 650 miles. All-time new logging.

1160 0400Z WEWC    Callahan, FL Spanish Tropical. Hearing a YL speaking SS got me excited, as I thought it might be WBQN in Puerto Rico. The lively music (good beat, easy to dance to), and TOH ID put an end to that. According to Wikipedia, Callahan has a population of 962, some demo! 250 W, 300 miles. Relog from regen (being on the coast and 5000-W daytime, this one's easier right at sunset or sunrise), new on ULR.

Conditions at 03-0400Z on 1160 are a good indicator of overall band conditions from down here. Some nights KSL is in over the nearby mess, other nights it's a struggle to hear the Chicago religious station, WYLL. On the 80- and 40-meter ham bands, if I can hear the UK well earlier in the evening, Japanese and other Far Eastern stations will usually be quite strong at their local sunset a few hours later. Sunset in the Far East is way late for me to stay up. Knowing what to expect lets me know when to do an all-nighter and when to sleep.

Last night at sunset, though Croatia and Morocco were readable, Absolute Radio 1215 was a faint whisper. Croatia and Morocco are obviously south of England, so the signal paths to me are farther from the auroral zone. This helps me understand why KSL never showed up here last night. In fact, there was very little E-W propagation, as evidenced by no reception of Puerto Rico or the Caribbean Lighthouse on 1160, either. While over-water and not that long, those paths cross the magnetic field, while the N-S paths to northern Florida and North Carolina are more or less parallel to it. If you're wondering whether it's worth isolating yourself from the family for an evening of DXing, information like this can help you decide.

While written for ham operators, this article about the 160-M (1800-2000 kHz) band discusses some of the propagation conditions that set MW apart from SW. http://www.spacew.com/cq/cqmar98.pdf  Note that the authors emphasize checking high-latitude geomagnetic conditions, rather than relying on the mid-latitude data transmitted by WWV/NIST. I have links to some of these data sources here: http://kr1s.kearman.com/  Sure enough, Iqaluit (63° 45' N) and Yellowknife (62° 28' N) recorded geomagnetic disturbances about 0300Z!

73,

Jim, KR1S
http://qrp.kearman.com/

#7473 From: D1028Gary@...
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 12:40 pm
Subject: Two More Stealth PL-380 Recordings (TP-DX and LW-DX)
dxergary
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Hello All,
 
For those interested, two more MP3's were recorded last night to compare the sensitivity of the "Stealth PL-380" (a model with superior 40/44 Litz wire, on the stock ferrite bar) with the stock PL-380.
 
Searching around on the LW band at the bizarre hour of 1000 UTC (bizarre locally, that is), I was finally able to find an LW beacon showing up on the stock PL-380, which isn't exactly the hottest LW receiver around. The following MP3 records the reception of 368-ZP on the stock PL-380 for the first 17 seconds, then on the "Stealth PL-380" for the last 25 seconds. The "Stealth PL-380" not only smokes the stock model in sensitivity, but receives a co-channel beacon on the same frequency!
 
 
Following this, before finally hitting the sack at 0225 local time, a check was made for any TP-DX that might be sneaking in after the Asian sunset period. To my surprise, 594-JOAK was putting in a potent signal on the modified ICF-2010, so I grabbed the two PL-380's (which look exactly the same, so it's hard to tell them apart). Both models were kept far away from the monster PVC loops, so that reception in both cases would be truly "barefoot," with no inductive coupling.  The first 20 seconds of this 594-JOAK recording are on the stock PL-380, and the last 23 seconds are on the Stealth PL-380:
 
 
As in the previous AM comparison tests, the Stealth model has a significant advantage, but it is not as dramatic as the booming sensitivity increase observed on LW. Still, for a $5 modification using only upgraded Litz wire, the performance improvement on AM certainly exceeds expectations, and should prove effective in actual AM-DXing situations.
 
Thanks again to all who have shown interest in this "Stealth PL-380" project, for which the related article is being completed.
 
73 and Good DX,
Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) 
 
 
 
 

#7472 From: "Stephen Ponder" <n5wbi@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:22 pm
Subject: DX Alert - KGBC 1540 Galveston is Still Off the Air
n5wbi
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Just checked the frequency again this morning.  KGBC 1540
on Galveston Island (TX) is still off the air.  This is the
station that recently switched to China Radio International
programming.

Haven't heard why they suddenly went off the air, but it
opens up 3 frequencies for me (1530/1540/1550)!!

73,

Steve N5WBI
Clear Lake City TX

#7471 From: "jim_kr1s" <jkearman@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:14 pm
Subject: Bigger than a breadbox (long)
jim_kr1s
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Send Email Send Email
 
I'm fortunate to have a Hewlett Packard 312B Selective Voltmeter. You
can see it on the far right in the first photo on this page
http://qrp.kearman.com/html/homebrewing.html  The 312B is a radio
receiver tuning from 100 kHz to 18 MHz. Instead of a speaker it has a
direct-reading signal level meter, and attenuators. It's easy to compare
signal levels from broadcast stations or other signal sources.

One thing I've learned from the 312B is that signal levels from
broadcast stations, even local ones, can vary quite a bit. CMBQ-530 in
Havana puts in a fairly constant 40 uV off my large loop during the day,
but that's an averages. Minute-to-minute the level can change by more
than 25%. Even the level of local pest WSTU-1450, a scant 2 miles (3 km)
away varies depending on soil moisture. I wanted to be able to compare
antennas over the long term, so I needed a way to ensure the signal
levels seen by them was more repeatable. Enter the Faraday box.

I happened to have a rack cabinet, steel, with aluminum front panel. I
replaced the back panel with aluminum window screen, so I could see
inside. Placing a radio on a couple of plastic containers taped to the
bottom of the box, I can repeatably position the radios. I use a short
probe antenna connected to a BNC connector on the original front panel,
connected to my signal generator. The box pretty effectively wipes out
the local pest, and everything else. An hour spent taking the radios (G8
and PL-380) out, putting them back in, retuning and resetting the signal
generator (using the 312B to confirm its output level), convinced me I
had a repeatable experimental setup.

The box is large enough to accommodate 7.5-inch ferrite-rod antennas. I
had two rods on hand, and did a few runs. My results were similar to Roy
Dyball's. A 330-340 uH inductance gives best results across the 530-1710
kHz band. Larger inductances improve performance below 530 kHz, but
performance at the high end of the MW band is degraded.

Another interesting observation pertains to positioning the coil on the
ferrite. As long as the inductance is in the range of 250-340 uH, it
doesn't make a lot of difference where the coil is located. You have to
tune the radio off frequency and back on to get it to retune the loop
after repositioning the coil. Other experimenters have found advantages
in centering the coil, and I believe the pattern will be more balanced
if the coil is centered. If you're coupling the large ferrite into yet
another antenna, that's less critical. For stand-alone use, a skewed
pattern could work to your advantage, or not, depending on the relative
bearings of desired and undesired stations.

I've also been looking at coil Q, using methods published by Wes
Hayward, W7ZOI. Ben Tongue did some research into using ferrite-rod
inductors in crystal sets, and found some advantage in using a spacer
between the winding and the ferrite. Using sheet plastic of unknown
composition to space the windings off the core about 0.063-inch (1.6 mm)
I can measure higher Q, but the effect on on-center signal strength is
below my measurement capability. There is, however, an advantage to
increasing Q, as it helps attenuate off-frequency signals. This can be
proven by theory, and I have independently confirmed it with several
regenerative receivers. A regenerative receiver uses active circuitry to
increase Q. My MW regen can achieve circuit Qs high enough to clip the
sidebands off an AM BC station. This simple receiver (3 field-effect
transistors and an audio amplifier) easily receives TAs. At its 1-kHz
bandwidth setting the PL-380 has a slight selectivity advantage, but the
difference is not as great as you might think. If you'd like to discuss
this, please contact me off-list, at jkearman _at_ att _dot_ net

The SiLabs data sheet mentions using an impedance transformer to couple
an air loop to the chip. I tried this with a 4-turn loop about 2 feet on
a side, and it does work. I used a 4:1 turns ratio instead of the 5:1
mentioned in the data sheet. Yesterday I was browsing the auction site
and noticed some untuned loop antennas about the same size as the Terk.
They're intended for use with Bose and other consumer AM-FM tuners. They
don't have tuning controls. I suspect this is the type of antenna SiLabs
refers to in the data sheet. I'm going to get one and see. The advantage
of this type of air loop is, the radio tunes it for you. I have some
data on connecting such an antenna so the internal antenna is
disconnected when it's plugged in. Contact me off-list for info.

The only disadvantage of this system comes if you want to locate the
antenna at a long distance (more than 5 feet/1.5 m) from the radio. The
cable connecting the antenna to the radio is part of the antenna tuned
circuit (the chip provides half of a resonant circuit in the form of a
voltage-variable capacitor or "varactor;" the other half of the tuned
circuit is the antenna itself). Coaxial cable has a capacitance of about
30 pF per foot (1 pF/cm); if the cable is too long the chip may not be
able to tune the antenna to the top of the MW band, the same effect
obtained when the antenna has too much inductance. A fixed series
capacitor will compensate for reasonable lengths, but if you plan to put
the antenna in the attic or back yard, this method probably isn't for
you. The advantage of having the radio peak the antenna tuning
automatically every time you change frequency is hard to beat, though.
Others have had to use spotting receivers to tune their loops, and then
swap in the ULR. I've always believed in letting the machines do the
work!

My breadbox isn't large enough to accommodate a 10-12 inch (250-300 mm)
loop and radio without potentially detuning it, and the prospect of
lining a closet with aluminum screen is not appealing! (I really did
consider it, though.)  Fortunately, I can use CMBQ and WSTU to help test
the larger loops, with a little extra effort. Using a separate antenna
connected to the HP 312B I'll have reference signal levels. If one of
them is 2 dB stronger one day than the day before I can factor that
difference into the radio's displayed signal strengths.

I'd be happy to discuss my experiments and experimental system with
anyone, off-list. As my results vary from what others have obtained,
there has been some contentious debate, which can best be avoided by
keeping it off-line! I did want to alert anyone interested to what I'm
doing.

73,

Jim, KR1S
http://qrp.kearman.com/

#7470 From: "dhsatyadhana" <satya@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:52 pm
Subject: Re: Grundig G6 - ultralight or not?
dhsatyadhana
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Hi Pat:

Thanks for your inquiry.  The Grundig G6 has SSB capabilities, which is
considered a significant advantage for receiving, especially trans-oceanic
signals.  As such, the G6 is not considered an Ultralight.  I think it would
make a good, compact spotting receiver to listen for heterodynes when hunting
TAs on an Ultralight, though, and almost picked one up for that purpose when
they were on sale at Radio Shack.

If you'd like to have a look at the Ultralight Definitions, they are in Section
2 - General Information in the Files section here.

Regards - Kevin S
Bainbridge Island, WA


--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "gpsblake" <gpsblake@...> wrote:
>
> I saw a list of radios and this one was not included. I know it's small enough
to be an ultralight but is there a reason this one doesn't count as an
ultralight?
>

#7469 From: Neil Findlay <neil.findlay52@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:51 pm
Subject: Re: Project using SI4735 DSP Radio Chip
neil.findlay52
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Folk
 
I am sure that with all our different abilities we could certainly develop the project
 
I have acopy of the article that downloaded with my Elector Credits.
 
However this is not an independant project -- First you need the ATN18 AVR board (Elector April 2008) cost US$40.40
Also needed is the Two wire LCD board  (Elector May 2008) cost US$37.10 then in the Feb 2010 article the DSP board
US$44.44 then postage for each  - they quoted $16.00 per item on website but hopefully they may combine HOWEVER it
still starting to to get quite expensive when already have most of what is needed if we follow Roy's article.  Just add the interface. 
Roy --- if you would like some info on the software and article send me a email offline neil@... - dont want copyright
issues on a public forum.
 
Pulled the 380 apart today - well along in builing new rod assmbly - very similar to Gary's but the verticle section has 2 vertical posts
(where the horiontal level bubble was) - in that section I am mounting 2 x 3.5mm jack sockets, 1 switches pole poles - will connect new
rod via this but will be able to plug the 4foot or 9 foot loop in directly.   the second will connect to coupling winding to connect in one of
my 3 Kaz antenna. not sure how it will all work but like everyone else will play around and try lots based on all the posts about this type
of thing.
 
Have to agree with John Bryants post about the camaraderie of the group-- there are no Prima - Donnas in the group  -- all co-operate.
I remember when my only resources was a book by Arthur Cushen from New Zealand. I also have have Gerry Dexter's published in 86. 
In Australia I have been a member of Groups that I did not find all that helpful. Just concentrated on what they heard - not much that was technically helpful and the agenda was driven by a few highly sucsessful individuals but this group certainly not like that.
Thanks again to all
 
Neil  
 
 


From: g8vpg <g8vpg@...>
To: ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, 22 January, 2010 5:13:44 AM
Subject: [ultralightdx] Project using SI4735 DSP Radio Chip

 

The February 2010 issue of "Elektor" magazine (www.elektor. com) has a radio project using the SI4735 DSP radio chip, as used in the Eton G8 etc. The published design is for a basic FM receiver, but I wonder whether the more technically adept members of this forum could develop this. It would be great if a DXers design with all the chips features could be developed, such as RDS. I regret such a project is beyond my design capabilities, although I would have a go at building one.

Regards,

Shaun.



See what's on at the movies in your area. Find out now.

#7468 From: "John H. Bryant" <bjohnorcas@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:45 am
Subject: Re: Re: First time loop winder
bjohnorcas
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This recent exchange with, primarily, Gary DeBock in suburban Seattle-Tacoma and Roy Dyball in Australia helping an Ultralighter who was beginning his first ferrite rod-coil winding is a great example of what makes this group so special....  great positive attitudes and a very real willingness to help each other over our personal rough spots. Bravo, guys!!!

Over 25 years ago, when I was getting back into radio after a 25 year hiatus, Gerry Dexter, who literally wrote the book on SWBC and MW QSLing told me "You know, John, it's not the great DX catches or the QSLs, but rather the many friends that I've made that really make the hobby great!" At the time, I was just back in and climbing up the ladder of SWBC countries QSLed and I said "Yeah, right, Gerry!!!"

Geez, old Gerry was absolutely right!  I've made a passel of new friends here, that I value very much.... and renewed many old ones, too... on top of that, I've learned huge amounts about various aspects of Ultralighting and, really, radio in general and had a BARREL of fun.

I've got to get another cup of coffee and start on over 25 more DXing award certificates that have been checked and verified by Rob Ross this week.... but it sure is nice to stop for a few minutes to think about the bigger picture.  It is very nice to have you all around. It makes my life much richer.  Yours, too, I hope!

John Bryant
Moderator
 







At 03:18 AM 1/22/2010 -0500, you wrote:
 

 
In a message dated 1/21/2010 11:56:01 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, roy.dyball@... writes:

Also remember if you are dynamically tuning your loopstick by unwinding turns or repositioning it, that with every change you make to the loopstick you must steep off the frequency you are on and then steep back again, this gives the Si4734 a chance to update its varactor and choose a new corresponding value for the change you just made.

Cheers Roy.  

Hello Roy,
 
Thanks for mentioning this. In the dynamic tuning of the PL-380 "stealth models" (a 40/44 Litz wire coil of about 433 uh inductance on the stock ferrite bar), I found this was very true. In both of my two models, the original coil of about 500 uh had an Si4734 varactor lock-up issue on the high AM band frequencies, and coil turns needed to be subtracted one by one until the radio had a sudden boost of sensitivity on 1700 kHz. (There was no option to use a Slider coil for loopstick tuning purposes, since the flat stock ferrite bar was geometrically unsuitable as a Slider coil base).
 
After the sudden rush of increased 1700 kHz sensitivity on the PL-380 when the inductance was lowered to 433 uh, it was necessary to move off of the frequency and then back to 1700 kHz, to judge the final RSSI increase after the modification. The dynamic signal "turn-subtracting" strategy (to lower the coil inductance to a level acceptable to the varactor) was a weird idea that ended up giving great results.
 
73, Gary
 
 


#7467 From: "Stephen" <pianoplayer88key@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:37 am
Subject: Re: Electricity out (4am), suggestions for TPs 2 try w/PL-...
pianoplayer8...
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Ok... lol... seems that this thread kinda got a bit disorganized :) so my
"replies" may be likewise a bit out of order.


So apparently you can use a ceramic tile saw to cut a ferrite rod.  Would it be
possible to cut a rod down its length so I could put a 4" (or 5") Amidon-61 rod
in the spot where the normal loopstick is?

Or, would it be better to consider putting Eneloop (or other slow-discharge) AAA
batteries in the spot where the loopstick now is, and putting the 5" (after it's
cut to size) 0.5" Amidon bar in the spot where the 2 batteries in line are
(while leaving the 3rd AA there)?  Also, considering I don't really want to have
to unscrew the back of the radio every time I need to charge the batteries
(normally I pull the dead set out and put a new one in, then charge the flat
ones), is the built-in charger hardware smart enough to charge those different
types of batteries (different capacity, etc)?


Jim_kr1s, no, I didn't need the heat. :)  We have a wood-burning stove, and
before I went to bed (around 5am) the temp on my PL-380 was  showing 70°F.
I just have trouble hearing ANY hets at all - am I just trying at the wrong
time, or using the wrong techniques or something.... or should I give up on
trying to get a TP sandwiched between a local station's main signal and its IBOC
carrier, when that local station is 63dBu and 25dB S/N?


(Gary Debock:) "Your comments remind me of the Words of Wisdom a fellow
tinkering fanatic shared with me during my Navy days: "You can do almost
anything you want to boost up the performance of a circuit, depending upon how
much time and money you are willing to invest." :-)  Since you have been in the
ULR group since the very beginning, no doubt you have been amazed (and amused)
as various innocent Ultralights have had their IF filters and loopsticks ripped
out and discarded, in favor of bizarre modifications to increase transoceanic
reception. Having been the culprit primarily responsible for this
demolition-related activity, I take full responsibility for my actions."

LOL. :)

I do have a $$ limit (getting the 7.5" Amidon rod would be a stretch, but a 4"
or 6" might be doable, plus the Litz wire), but I'm much more flexible on time.


I don't really care much about any longwave boost (in fact I don't think I even
have anything close to me that would even be detectable WITH a 7.5" Slider
loopstick -- anyone have a suggestion for a website for me to check?  btw I'm
within about a mile of 32°46'N 116°57'W), but I do want a sizeable boost on MW
if at all possible.  At minimum, I'd like an improvement comparable to what you
got, Gary, on longwave.  (I really didn't notice much of a boost on mediumwave
in the examples you posted.)
If I could get a boost like the one in the link below, that would be nice.
http://cid-6bdd1917662288cb.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/AM%20radio%20files/SW20^\
JSAT%20compare%20-%20670^J%20930^J%20970^J%20980.mp3
That's my previous radio (Panasonic RQ-SW20), barefoot then with the
Select-A-Tenna, on 670, 930, 970 and 980.


I'll eventually want to build one of those several-foot-diameter loops to
inductively couple with the PL-380, though.  My Select-A-Tenna just doesn't cut
it anymore.  Would it be possible, say, with a 6' diameter loop (or should I
keep it to 4'?), to have a sizeable boost -- say, take a signal from completely
undetectable on the stock barefoot PL-380 (and maybe only just barely hetting on
Gary's stealth PL-380), to a full 63dBu, 25dB S/N signal with the loop?  Another
way to put it, I guess, is with a multi-foot external loop, I'd want performance
comparable to what Bruce Carter (he posts as rbrucecarter5 on the radio-info.com
board) gets with his antennas, or better if possible.


Also, when I do the loopstick mod, I don't have a (LCR/inductance/?) meter, so
anyone have suggestions for how to do it without one?  Also, I understand you
usually will check 1700kHz to make sure you don't get the lockup on the high end
of the band with the coil winding.  I have a local on 1700 that is right now
(2:10am) showing about 33dBu and 15dB S/N - is that too strong of a signal
already to use as a test signal?  Or should I use the weak TIS from about 15
miles away on 1620 that is next to a semi-local (comparable signal to 1700, or
maybe a bit weaker) on 1630?  Or, what about the one from about 85-95 miles away
on 1670 that in the daytime is basically undetectable most of the time, but at
night is about as strong as 1700?  (Or, what about the San Diego Airport TIS on
1690, that even before 1700 was on the air, was barely detectable on my previous
radio even WITH the Select-A-Tenna?)

#7466 From: "Lee" <leo1949uk@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:51 am
Subject: Re: PL-380 Question??
leo1949uk
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Thanks John but I can`t send anything via this medium or the pointer
to email!! could you send me your email addy please??

Cheers.

Lee.


--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "John H. Bryant" <bjohnorcas@...> wrote:
>
> Lee,
>
> Send those photos to me and I'll put them through
> a couple of routines to reduce the file size
> without harming the actual photo and then I'll put them up.
>
> I find that ebay suppliers with a high
> transaction count (in the hundreds) and above 95%
> positive feedback are very reliable.  I've never
> had a bad experience.  However, I am
> cautious.  Joyce Ng of Hong Kong is one of the
> finest people that I've met on ebay.... just
> wonderful, tho her English is limited.  I'm
> almost certain that she ships to the UK, but go
> on ebay and find one of her Anon-co auctions and
> ASK  HER, using the "Ask the Seller a Question"
> routine.  Tell her that I sent you.  She is just
> great.  If there would be a problem, she will tell you.
>
> Send me those photos when you have the chance and tell Joyce that I said "Hi!"
>
> John Bryant
>
>
>
>
>
> At 12:06 PM 1/17/2010 +0000, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >Hi John.
> >
> >Do you know if they mail to the UK?? that would
> >be great if they did...you seem to be able to
> >order what you want, I`m envious that
> >you are able to trust the suppliers ... they also appear to give good
> >service ...
> >
> >I wil email some piccies if you wouldn`t mind posting them for me..
> >being plastic means they can be made waterproof!! the mind boggles ;o)
> >
> >Regards.
> >
> >Lee....
> >
> >--- In
> ><mailto:ultralightdx%40yahoogroups.com>ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com,
> >"John H. Bryant" <bjohnorcas@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Lee,
> > >
> > > Sorry, but as yet, the PL-380 is only available
> > > from sources in China, mostly Joyce at Anon-co.
> > >
> > > Those loops that you made sound VERY interesting.
> > > How 'bout shooting a few pictures for us....
> > > actually, a short article would be great.
> > > However, if that is too much for you, how 'bout
> > > sending me some shots, I'll optimize them for the
> > > web and upload them for the gang????? Your ideas sound very intriguing.
> > >
> > > Hey, I taught for seven years at a place just two
> > > hours south of Birmingham.... Auburn
> > > University.... 'course, that was Birmingham,
> > > ALABAMA.... as I go bumbling into the dawn...
> > >
> > > THANKS for your comments, WELCOME! Let's see those loops!
> > >
> > > John Bryant
> > > Moderator
> > > bjohnorcas@
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > At 03:14 PM 1/16/2010 +0000, you wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Hi.
> > > >
> > > >Is the PL-380 known under any Alias, such as Eton or Grundig??
> > > >
> > > >In the UK the PL-300 is available as the Grundig G8 for example!
> > > >which I am very pleased with except for the soft squelch and MW
> > > >breakthrough on short wave ... very impressed with FM, I use it
> > > >portable and use my Kenwood for base station!!
> > > >
> > > >Thanks for all the info on ULs as I enjoy the projects, I have
> > > >built a couple of air coils and a couple of ferrite rod loops
> > > >also and they all work excellent with my G8,the air loops are
> > > >6ft and 9ft circumference and made using 2" x 0.325" plastic strip
> > > >that was meant for plastic window frames ... much quicker and
> > > >easier to build as a circle than wooden square loops and look just
> > > >as impressive, as the plastic is white. ;o)
> > > >
> > > >Cheers.
> > > >
> > > >Lee ... G6ZSG. Birmingham. UK.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
>

#7465 From: D1028Gary@...
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 3:18 am
Subject: Re: Re: First time loop winder
dxergary
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
 
In a message dated 1/21/2010 11:56:01 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, roy.dyball@... writes:

Also remember if you are dynamically tuning your loopstick by unwinding turns or repositioning it, that with every change you make to the loopstick you must steep off the frequency you are on and then steep back again, this gives the Si4734 a chance to update its varactor and choose a new corresponding value for the change you just made.

Cheers Roy.   

Hello Roy,
 
Thanks for mentioning this. In the dynamic tuning of the PL-380 "stealth models" (a 40/44 Litz wire coil of about 433 uh inductance on the stock ferrite bar), I found this was very true. In both of my two models, the original coil of about 500 uh had an Si4734 varactor lock-up issue on the high AM band frequencies, and coil turns needed to be subtracted one by one until the radio had a sudden boost of sensitivity on 1700 kHz. (There was no option to use a Slider coil for loopstick tuning purposes, since the flat stock ferrite bar was geometrically unsuitable as a Slider coil base).
 
After the sudden rush of increased 1700 kHz sensitivity on the PL-380 when the inductance was lowered to 433 uh, it was necessary to move off of the frequency and then back to 1700 kHz, to judge the final RSSI increase after the modification. The dynamic signal "turn-subtracting" strategy (to lower the coil inductance to a level acceptable to the varactor) was a weird idea that ended up giving great results.
 
73, Gary
 
 


#7464 From: "Roy" <roy.dyball@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:55 am
Subject: Re: First time loop winder
roy.dyball
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 

Hi Barry

I don't use a winding rig, I lay the wire out straight in front of me and feed the wire through my thumb and forefinger to get an even tension while I rotate the rod. Be careful not to kink the Litz wire.

I can't really say that I saw much difference with using a former or just winding the coil straight on the rod. If you look at the Sony 7600GR , PL-600,PL380,PL310 they are wound straight on the rod and this can be good for fast prototyping so you can get an idea of the length of your coils then maybe experiment with formers.

Start out with your first coil and carefully note down the readings of RSSI and S/N from stations across the band I use about eight and compare them with readings you have taken from your stock coil.  Pay careful attention to stations at the top of the MW band (use at least two stations right at the top) as these are the hardest to keep showing the same amount of increase as stations at the bottom of the band.

You can just about always show an increase by winding more turns on the loopstick. This will show up at the bottom of the AM band but the trick is to keep the readings even (at the top).

Never just wind one coil. Once you have wound one coil you will see how easy it is. Just note down the readings and try something different. It becomes a lot of fun and quite addictive as you compare your notes. If you want to space your windings find something close to the same size as your Litz I used wire wrap wire as a spacer with the 40/46 Litz. Just feed both wires through your fingers and thumb the same as before but lay both wire out together in front of you.

I personally have found that the SI4734 in the Tecsun radios as shown by the figures that they return by software don't like to have the inductance of the loopstick coil much above 350µH. It is hard to measure inductance with a meter because different meters use different frequencies to measure the inductance and the results vary. That's why you should try different coils of different sizes and measure the results for yourself. You can also try winding your coils in the centre of the rod as I have had good results with this also.

Also remember if you are dynamically tuning your loopstick by unwinding turns or repositioning it, that with every change you make to the loopstick you must steep off the frequency you are on and then steep back again, this gives the Si4734 a chance to update its varactor and choose a new corresponding value for the change you just made.

 

Cheers Roy.   

--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, D1028Gary@... wrote:
>
> Hello Neil,
>
> Well, I sure wish I could tell you whether the Leukoplast tape is suitable
> as a coil winding base or not, but having never used the material, it's
> tough to say. If you have access to an LCR meter, you might try winding a
> simple Litz wire coil on the Leukoplast tape around a type 61 ferrite bar, to
> replace the stock loopstick coil in one of the single-coil Ultralight
> designs (DT-400W, E100, G8, PL-300WT, etc.) If you match the stock coil's
> inductance in your new coil and the radio has a decent sensitivity boost, the
> Leukoplast tape is probably working fine.
>
> The adhesive tape is simply a convenient base to hold the Litz wire turns
> neatly in place as you wind the coil, but using the wrong type of tape can
> really upset the loopstick performance. Gregory Mosher tried transplanting a
> 7.5" Amidon loopstick into his PL-310 model according to the instructions
> given in the PL-380 transplant article, but had a rough time initially
> because his coil base tape was of the wrong type, greatly reducing the radio's
> sensitivity. When he switched to the J & J tape, he had a huge boost in
> performance.
>
> If you can't find a suitable tape, Neil, I would be happy to ship some of
> the J & J tape to you. Having purchased a "lifetime supply," one 10 yard
> roll of the stuff could be easily spared, and should be enough for you to
> build about 100 loopsticks :-)
>
> 73, Gary
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 1/21/2010 9:00:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> neil.findlay52@... writes:
>
>
>
>
> Gary
>
> in Australia Johson & Johnson Produuucts are no longer sold
>
> There is a Leukoplast waterproof tape sold as follows
>
> Leukoplast# Waterproof is a white tape featuring a zinc oxide adhesive,
> allowing it to adhere strongly
> and reliably even under heavy strain. It features high tensile strength
> and is suitable for patients with normal skin.
>
> On the packet it say it is a rubberised tape and it is smooth white and
> not very stretchy
>
> Would this be similar to what you are using
>
> Neil Findlay
>
>
>
>
> ____________________________________
> From: "D1028Gary@..." D1028Gary@...
> To: ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Fri, 22 January, 2010 1:35:34 PM
> Subject: Re: [ultralightdx] First time loop winder
>
> Hello _Bgelb2@..._ (mailto:Bgelb2@...) ,
>
> Thanks for your interest in the PL-380 7.5" loopstick transplant
> operation, and I'm happy to share my own experience in building two successful
> transplant models. First of all, you may wish to check if you have the most
> complete version of the article (which contains suggestions for the two
> adhesive tapes used as a base for coil winding, and as a waterproof covering for
> the coil), This version also has "Shootout" information comparing the PL-380
> stock and modified model RSSI and S/N readings on the AM band, and is
> posted at
> _http://www.mediafire.com/?hudn0mtlueg_
> (http://www.mediafire.com/?hudn0mtlueg) .
>
> Both of my PL-380 7.5" transplant models have coil turns wound tightly
> (with no spacing) using 40/44 Litz wire on a base of Johnson & Johnson 2"
> waterproof tape, adhesive side up (available in large quantities at
> _http://www.amazon. com/dp/B0015XOCO 6/ref=asc_ df_B0015XOCO6993 990?smid=
> A367RFIQRDER75&tag=shopzilla_
> mp_1030-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN= B0015XOCO6_
> (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015XOCO6/ref=asc_df_B0015XOCO6993990?smid=A367RFIQRDER75&tag=shopzilla_mp_1030-20&linkCode=asn&creativ
> e=380341&creativeASIN=B0015XOCO6) , and usually available in small
> quantities at Walgreen stores, or from me if you need a small amount). Both Steve
> Ratzlaff and I have always had excellent results wrapping 40/44 Litz wire
> coils tightly (with no spacing), although there is a difference of opinion
> about this, and Roy has found that he can gain slightly more sensitivity
> with spacing between Litz wire turns in his G8 transplant model. I respect his
> opinion about this, but since the PL-380 7.5" transplant article documents
> the DXing performance with a closely-wound 40/44 Litz wire coil, in the
> absence of an LCR meter you may wish to follow the article's instructions in
> order to finish up with a 554 uh coil inductance.
>
> There is no need to use a winder for the coil as long as you have a Litz
> wire reel (such as is supplied by Dave Schmarder is his shipments) and J & J
> adhesive tape as a coil base, as shown in the photo below:
>
>
>
>
> Although this photo shows the winding of an E100 Slider coil (far more
> complicated than winding a fixed coil, such as in the PL-380 project), the
> process of wrapping the coil turns is identical, and can be interrupted at any
> time because the J & J tape holds the coil turns tightly in place.
>
> I hope these suggestions will be useful to you, and if you have any other
> questions, please feel free to ask.
>
> 73 and Good DX,
> Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)
>
>
>
> In a message dated 1/21/2010 6:01:08 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> bgelb2@... writes:
>
>
> Hello to all and thank you to Gary, Roy and all the prolific contributors
> to this group who gladly share their expertise, experience and time with
> everyone. Can anyone share any tips from their experience as far as the
> actual winding process, i.e., keeping the windings neat and evenly spaced, etc.
> I am gathering what I need to do a 7.5" transplant on a Tecsun 380 and I
> will attempt to do the winding without an l/c meter. I have questions such as
> what spacing between turns (if any) should there be and do you have a
> winder rigged up.
>
> Thanks again to all,
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ____________________________________
> See what's on at the movies in your area. _Find out now_
> (http://au.rd.yahoo.com/movies/mailtagline/*http://au.movies.yahoo.com/session-times/) .
>


#7463 From: "gpsblake" <gpsblake@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:38 am
Subject: Grundig G6 - ultralight or not?
gpsblake
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
I saw a list of radios and this one was not included. I know it's small enough
to be an ultralight but is there a reason this one doesn't count as an
ultralight?

#7462 From: D1028Gary@...
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:15 am
Subject: Re: First time loop winder
dxergary
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Hello Neil,
 
Well, I sure wish I could tell you whether the Leukoplast tape is suitable as a coil winding base or not, but having never used the material, it's tough to say. If you have access to an LCR meter, you might try winding a simple Litz wire coil on the Leukoplast tape around a type 61 ferrite bar, to replace the stock loopstick coil in one of the single-coil Ultralight designs (DT-400W, E100, G8, PL-300WT, etc.) If you match the stock coil's inductance in your new coil and the radio has a decent sensitivity boost, the Leukoplast tape is probably working fine.
 
The adhesive tape is simply a convenient base to hold the Litz wire turns neatly in place as you wind the coil, but using the wrong type of tape can really upset the loopstick performance. Gregory Mosher tried transplanting a 7.5" Amidon loopstick into his PL-310 model according to the instructions given in the PL-380 transplant article, but had a rough time initially because his coil base tape was of the wrong type, greatly reducing the radio's sensitivity. When he switched to the J & J tape, he had a huge boost in performance.
 
If you can't find a suitable tape, Neil, I would be happy to ship some of the J & J tape to you. Having purchased a "lifetime supply," one 10 yard roll of the stuff could be easily spared, and should be enough for you to build about 100 loopsticks :-)
 
73, Gary  
 
     
 
In a message dated 1/21/2010 9:00:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, neil.findlay52@... writes:


Gary
 
in Australia Johson & Johnson Produuucts are no longer sold
 
There is a Leukoplast waterproof tape sold as follows
 
Leukoplast# Waterproof is a white tape featuring a zinc oxide adhesive, allowing it to adhere strongly
and reliably even under heavy strain.  It features high tensile strength and is suitable for patients with normal skin.

On the packet it say it is a rubberised tape and it is smooth white and not very stretchy
 
Would this be similar to what you are using
 
Neil Findlay
 
 


From: "D1028Gary@..." <D1028Gary@...>
To: ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, 22 January, 2010 1:35:34 PM
Subject: Re: [ultralightdx] First time loop winder

Hello Bgelb2@...,
 
Thanks for your interest in the PL-380 7.5" loopstick transplant operation, and I'm happy to share my own experience in building two successful transplant models. First of all, you may wish to check if you have the most complete version of the article (which contains suggestions for the two adhesive tapes used as a base for coil winding, and as a waterproof covering for the coil), This version also has "Shootout" information comparing the PL-380 stock and modified model RSSI and S/N readings on the AM band, and is posted at
 
Both of my PL-380 7.5" transplant models have coil turns wound tightly (with no spacing) using 40/44 Litz wire on a base of Johnson & Johnson 2" waterproof tape, adhesive side up (available in large quantities at
http://www.amazon. com/dp/B0015XOCO 6/ref=asc_ df_B0015XOCO6993 990?smid= A367RFIQRDER75&tag=shopzilla_ mp_1030-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN= B0015XOCO6 , and usually available in small quantities at Walgreen stores, or from me if you need a small amount). Both Steve Ratzlaff and I have always had excellent results wrapping 40/44 Litz wire coils tightly (with no spacing), although there is a difference of opinion about this, and Roy has found that he can gain slightly more sensitivity with spacing between Litz wire turns in his G8 transplant model. I respect his opinion about this, but since the PL-380 7.5" transplant article documents the DXing performance with a closely-wound 40/44 Litz wire coil, in the absence of an LCR meter you may wish to follow the article's instructions in order to finish up with a 554 uh coil inductance. 
 
There is no need to use a winder for the coil as long as you have a Litz wire reel (such as is supplied by Dave Schmarder is his shipments) and J & J adhesive tape as a coil base, as shown in the photo below: 
 
 
 
Although this photo shows the winding of an E100 Slider coil (far more complicated than winding a fixed coil, such as in the PL-380 project), the process of wrapping the coil turns is identical, and can be interrupted at any time because the J & J tape holds the coil turns tightly in place.
 
I hope these suggestions will be useful to you, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.
 
73 and Good DX,
Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)                                                           
 
In a message dated 1/21/2010 6:01:08 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, bgelb2@... writes:
 

Hello to all and thank you to Gary, Roy and all the prolific contributors to this group who gladly share their expertise, experience and time with everyone. Can anyone share any tips from their experience as far as the actual winding process, i.e., keeping the windings neat and evenly spaced, etc. I am gathering what I need to do a 7.5" transplant on a Tecsun 380 and I will attempt to do the winding without an l/c meter. I have questions such as what spacing between turns (if any) should there be and do you have a winder rigged up.

Thanks again to all,



See what's on at the movies in your area. Find out now.

#7461 From: Neil Findlay <neil.findlay52@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:00 am
Subject: Re: First time loop winder
neil.findlay52
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Gary
 
in Australia Johson & Johnson Produuucts are no longer sold
 
There is a Leukoplast waterproof tape sold as follows
 
Leukoplast# Waterproof is a white tape featuring a zinc oxide adhesive, allowing it to adhere strongly
and reliably even under heavy strain.  It features high tensile strength and is suitable for patients with normal skin.

On the packet it say it is a rubberised tape and it is smooth white and not very stretchy
 
Would this be similar to what you are using
 
Neil Findlay
 
 


From: "D1028Gary@..." <D1028Gary@...>
To: ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, 22 January, 2010 1:35:34 PM
Subject: Re: [ultralightdx] First time loop winder

Hello Bgelb2@...,
 
Thanks for your interest in the PL-380 7.5" loopstick transplant operation, and I'm happy to share my own experience in building two successful transplant models. First of all, you may wish to check if you have the most complete version of the article (which contains suggestions for the two adhesive tapes used as a base for coil winding, and as a waterproof covering for the coil), This version also has "Shootout" information comparing the PL-380 stock and modified model RSSI and S/N readings on the AM band, and is posted at
 
Both of my PL-380 7.5" transplant models have coil turns wound tightly (with no spacing) using 40/44 Litz wire on a base of Johnson & Johnson 2" waterproof tape, adhesive side up (available in large quantities at
http://www.amazon. com/dp/B0015XOCO 6/ref=asc_ df_B0015XOCO6993 990?smid= A367RFIQRDER75&tag=shopzilla_ mp_1030-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN= B0015XOCO6 , and usually available in small quantities at Walgreen stores, or from me if you need a small amount). Both Steve Ratzlaff and I have always had excellent results wrapping 40/44 Litz wire coils tightly (with no spacing), although there is a difference of opinion about this, and Roy has found that he can gain slightly more sensitivity with spacing between Litz wire turns in his G8 transplant model. I respect his opinion about this, but since the PL-380 7.5" transplant article documents the DXing performance with a closely-wound 40/44 Litz wire coil, in the absence of an LCR meter you may wish to follow the article's instructions in order to finish up with a 554 uh coil inductance. 
 
There is no need to use a winder for the coil as long as you have a Litz wire reel (such as is supplied by Dave Schmarder is his shipments) and J & J adhesive tape as a coil base, as shown in the photo below: 
 
 
 
Although this photo shows the winding of an E100 Slider coil (far more complicated than winding a fixed coil, such as in the PL-380 project), the process of wrapping the coil turns is identical, and can be interrupted at any time because the J & J tape holds the coil turns tightly in place.
 
I hope these suggestions will be useful to you, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.
 
73 and Good DX,
Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)                                                           
 
In a message dated 1/21/2010 6:01:08 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, bgelb2@... writes:
 

Hello to all and thank you to Gary, Roy and all the prolific contributors to this group who gladly share their expertise, experience and time with everyone. Can anyone share any tips from their experience as far as the actual winding process, i.e., keeping the windings neat and evenly spaced, etc. I am gathering what I need to do a 7.5" transplant on a Tecsun 380 and I will attempt to do the winding without an l/c meter. I have questions such as what spacing between turns (if any) should there be and do you have a winder rigged up.

Thanks again to all,



See what's on at the movies in your area. Find out now.

#7460 From: D1028Gary@...
Date: Thu Jan 21, 2010 11:03 pm
Subject: Re: Re: First time loop winder
dxergary
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Hi Barry,
 
Sorry you didn't get the photo-- it was included in the list message back from the Yahoo Ultralightdx site, sent to me by AOL. Anyway, I'll send it to you privately. Good luck in your project.
 
73, Gary
 
In a message dated 1/21/2010 7:52:30 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, bgelb2@... writes:
 


Gary,

Thanks for your reply; however, the picture did not appear in your message.

73,
Barry

--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, D1028Gary@... wrote:
>
> Hello _Bgelb2@..._ (mailto:Bgelb2@...) ,
>
> Thanks for your interest in the PL-380 7.5" loopstick transplant
> operation, and I'm happy to share my own experience in building two successful
> transplant models. First of all, you may wish to check if you have the most
> complete version of the article (which contains suggestions for the two
> adhesive tapes used as a base for coil winding, and as a waterproof covering for
> the coil), This version also has "Shootout" information comparing the PL-380
> stock and modified model RSSI and S/N readings on the AM band, and is
> posted at
> _http://www.mediafire.com/?hudn0mtlueg_
> (http://www.mediafire.com/?hudn0mtlueg) .
>
> Both of my PL-380 7.5" transplant models have coil turns wound tightly
> (with no spacing) using 40/44 Litz wire on a base of Johnson & Johnson 2"
> waterproof tape, adhesive side up (available in large quantities at
> _http://www.amazon.http://www.amazohttp://wwwhttp://www.amazohttp://wwhttp:/
> /www.ama&tag=shopzilla_tag=shopzi&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=
> creativeAS_
> (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015XOCO6/ref=asc_df_B0015XOCO6993990?smid=A367RFIQRDER75&tag=shopzilla_mp_1030-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&c
> reativeASIN=B0015XOCO6) , and usually available in small quantities at
> Walgreen stores, or from me if you need a small amount). Both Steve Ratzlaff
> and I have always had excellent results wrapping 40/44 Litz wire coils
> tightly (with no spacing), although there is a difference of opinion about
> this, and Roy has found that he can gain slightly more sensitivity with spacing
> between Litz wire turns in his G8 transplant model. I respect his opinion
> about this, but since the PL-380 7.5" transplant article documents the
> DXing performance with a closely-wound 40/44 Litz wire coil, in the absence of
> an LCR meter you may wish to follow the article's instructions in order to
> finish up with a 554 uh coil inductance.
>
> There is no need to use a winder for the coil as long as you have a Litz
> wire reel (such as is supplied by Dave Schmarder is his shipments) and J & J
> adhesive tape as a coil base, as shown in the photo below:
>
>
>
>
> Although this photo shows the winding of an E100 Slider coil (far more
> complicated than winding a fixed coil, such as in the PL-380 project), the
> process of wrapping the coil turns is identical, and can be interrupted at any
> time because the J & J tape holds the coil turns tightly in place.
>
> I hope these suggestions will be useful to you, and if you have any other
> questions, please feel free to ask.
>
> 73 and Good DX,
> Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)
>
>
>
> In a message dated 1/21/2010 6:01:08 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> bgelb2@... writes:
>
>
>
>
> Hello to all and thank you to Gary, Roy and all the prolific contributors
> to this group who gladly share their expertise, experience and time with
> everyone. Can anyone share any tips from their experience as far as the actual
> winding process, i.e., keeping the windings neat and evenly spaced, etc. I
> am gathering what I need to do a 7.5" transplant on a Tecsun 380 and I
> will attempt to do the winding without an l/c meter. I have questions such as
> what spacing between turns (if any) should there be and do you have a
> winder rigged up.
>
> Thanks again to all,
>


#7459 From: "bgcpa54" <bgelb2@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 3:52 am
Subject: Re: First time loop winder
bgcpa54
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Gary,

Thanks for your reply; however, the picture did not appear in your message.

73,
Barry


--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, D1028Gary@... wrote:
>
> Hello _Bgelb2@..._ (mailto:Bgelb2@...) ,
>
> Thanks for your interest in the PL-380 7.5" loopstick transplant
> operation, and I'm happy to share my own experience in building two successful
> transplant models. First of all, you may wish to check if you have the most
> complete version of the article (which contains suggestions for the  two
> adhesive tapes used as a base for coil winding, and as a waterproof covering 
for
> the coil), This version also has "Shootout" information comparing the  PL-380
> stock and modified model RSSI and S/N readings on the AM band, and  is
> posted at
>  _http://www.mediafire.com/?hudn0mtlueg_
> (http://www.mediafire.com/?hudn0mtlueg)  .
>
> Both of my PL-380 7.5" transplant models have coil turns wound tightly
> (with no spacing) using 40/44 Litz wire on a base of Johnson & Johnson 2"
> waterproof tape, adhesive side up (available in large quantities at
> _http://www.amazon.http://www.amazohttp://wwwhttp://www.amazohttp://wwhttp:/
> /www.ama&tag=shopzilla_tag=shopzi&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=
> creativeAS_
>
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015XOCO6/ref=asc_df_B0015XOCO6993990?smid=A367RFIQRD\
ER75&tag=shopzilla_mp_1030-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&c
> reativeASIN=B0015XOCO6)  ,  and usually available in small quantities at
> Walgreen stores, or from me if you  need a small amount). Both Steve Ratzlaff
> and I have always had excellent  results wrapping 40/44 Litz wire coils
> tightly (with no spacing), although there  is a difference of opinion about
> this, and Roy has found that he can gain  slightly more sensitivity with
spacing
> between Litz wire turns in his G8  transplant model. I respect his opinion
> about this, but since the PL-380 7.5"  transplant article documents the
> DXing performance with a closely-wound  40/44 Litz wire coil, in the absence
of
> an LCR meter you may wish to follow the  article's instructions in order to
> finish up with a 554 uh coil  inductance.
>
> There is no need to use a winder for the coil as long as you have a Litz
> wire reel (such as is supplied by Dave Schmarder is his shipments) and J  & J
> adhesive tape as a coil base, as shown in the photo below:
>
>
>
>
> Although this photo shows the winding of an E100 Slider coil (far more
> complicated than winding a fixed coil, such as in the PL-380 project), the
> process of wrapping the coil turns is identical, and can be interrupted at any
> time because the J & J tape holds the coil turns tightly in place.
>
> I hope these suggestions will be useful to you, and if you have any  other
> questions, please feel free to ask.
>
> 73 and Good DX,
> Gary DeBock (in Puyallup,  WA)
>
>
>
> In a message dated 1/21/2010 6:01:08 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> bgelb2@... writes:
>
>
>
>
> Hello to all and thank you to Gary, Roy and all the prolific contributors
> to this group who gladly share their expertise, experience and time with
> everyone. Can anyone share any tips from their experience as far as the actual
>  winding process, i.e., keeping the windings neat and evenly spaced, etc. I
> am  gathering what I need to do a 7.5" transplant on a Tecsun 380 and I
> will  attempt to do the winding without an l/c meter. I have questions such as
> what  spacing between turns (if any) should there be and do you have a
> winder rigged  up.
>
> Thanks again to all,
>

#7458 From: D1028Gary@...
Date: Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:35 pm
Subject: Re: First time loop winder
dxergary
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Hello Bgelb2@...,
 
Thanks for your interest in the PL-380 7.5" loopstick transplant operation, and I'm happy to share my own experience in building two successful transplant models. First of all, you may wish to check if you have the most complete version of the article (which contains suggestions for the two adhesive tapes used as a base for coil winding, and as a waterproof covering for the coil), This version also has "Shootout" information comparing the PL-380 stock and modified model RSSI and S/N readings on the AM band, and is posted at
 
Both of my PL-380 7.5" transplant models have coil turns wound tightly (with no spacing) using 40/44 Litz wire on a base of Johnson & Johnson 2" waterproof tape, adhesive side up (available in large quantities at
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015XOCO6/ref=asc_df_B0015XOCO6993990?smid=A367RFIQRDER75&tag=shopzilla_mp_1030-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=B0015XOCO6 , and usually available in small quantities at Walgreen stores, or from me if you need a small amount). Both Steve Ratzlaff and I have always had excellent results wrapping 40/44 Litz wire coils tightly (with no spacing), although there is a difference of opinion about this, and Roy has found that he can gain slightly more sensitivity with spacing between Litz wire turns in his G8 transplant model. I respect his opinion about this, but since the PL-380 7.5" transplant article documents the DXing performance with a closely-wound 40/44 Litz wire coil, in the absence of an LCR meter you may wish to follow the article's instructions in order to finish up with a 554 uh coil inductance. 
 
There is no need to use a winder for the coil as long as you have a Litz wire reel (such as is supplied by Dave Schmarder is his shipments) and J & J adhesive tape as a coil base, as shown in the photo below: 
 
 
 
Although this photo shows the winding of an E100 Slider coil (far more complicated than winding a fixed coil, such as in the PL-380 project), the process of wrapping the coil turns is identical, and can be interrupted at any time because the J & J tape holds the coil turns tightly in place.
 
I hope these suggestions will be useful to you, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.
 
73 and Good DX,
Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)                                                           
 
In a message dated 1/21/2010 6:01:08 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, bgelb2@... writes:
 

Hello to all and thank you to Gary, Roy and all the prolific contributors to this group who gladly share their expertise, experience and time with everyone. Can anyone share any tips from their experience as far as the actual winding process, i.e., keeping the windings neat and evenly spaced, etc. I am gathering what I need to do a 7.5" transplant on a Tecsun 380 and I will attempt to do the winding without an l/c meter. I have questions such as what spacing between turns (if any) should there be and do you have a winder rigged up.

Thanks again to all,


#7457 From: "bgcpa54" <bgelb2@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:55 am
Subject: First time loop winder
bgcpa54
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Hello to all and thank you to Gary, Roy and all the prolific contributors to
this group who gladly share their expertise, experience and time with everyone. 
Can anyone share any tips from their experience as far as the actual winding
process, i.e., keeping the windings neat and evenly spaced, etc.  I am gathering
what I need to do a 7.5"  transplant on a Tecsun 380 and I will attempt to do
the winding without an l/c meter. I have questions such as what spacing between
turns (if any) should there be and do you have a winder rigged up.

Thanks again to all,

#7456 From: "jerrysteck" <geraldsteck@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:52 am
Subject: Re: Latest DX - Thursday Afternoon - 21 Jan 2010((edit))
jerrysteck
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Sorry Steve--

after re-reading your post and getting what's left of my mind in order i see
that you are talking about today--a whirlwind trip has left me somewhat confused
about what the date is--once more, please excuse my error--

jerry--k5psh

--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "jerrysteck" <geraldsteck@...> wrote:
>
> Steve
>
> i was on the island the evenings of 19 and 20 jan.--i heard the chinese
programming on 1540Khz.--i believe it was the evening of the 19th that i was
listening---is it possible that they have gone to reduced power since you were
not hearing them?--altho i had a full scale meter reading, they didn't seem to
sound particularly like a true blowtorch--or possibly they were off air on
another evening, and have since resumed transmitting?-am now back in Bryan, Tx.
and can't do a check--
>
> i was using my travel set, an eton E5--not a ULR<grin>
>
> 73
>
> jerry--------k5psh
>
> ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
>
> --- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "Stephen Ponder" <n5wbi@> wrote:
> >
> > Upon noticing that the "new" KGBC 1540 on Galveston Island
> > was off the air, I tuned to 1530 and was rewarded with a
> > nice ULR catch - "La Tremenda 1530 KGBT" in Harlingen, TX!
> >
> > The time was 2116 UTC (1516 PM CST) and all I was hearing
> > was Spanish-language programming with Tejano music.  I had
> > forgtten that KGBT was a Univision outlet.
> >
> > At 2159 UTC, they gave an English ID - "This is KGBT 1530
> > in Harlingen, TX" and then a Spanish ID - "La Tremenda
> > 15-30."  At 2201 UTC, their antenna pattern changed and
> > ZAP! they were gone!
> >
> > Heard them using my DT-400W barefoot.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Steve N5WBI
> > Clear Lake City TX
> >
>

#7455 From: "jerrysteck" <geraldsteck@...>
Date: Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:46 am
Subject: Re: Latest DX - Thursday Afternoon - 21 Jan 2010
jerrysteck
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Steve

i was on the island the evenings of 19 and 20 jan.--i heard the chinese
programming on 1540Khz.--i believe it was the evening of the 19th that i was
listening---is it possible that they have gone to reduced power since you were
not hearing them?--altho i had a full scale meter reading, they didn't seem to
sound particularly like a true blowtorch--or possibly they were off air on
another evening, and have since resumed transmitting?-am now back in Bryan, Tx.
and can't do a check--

i was using my travel set, an eton E5--not a ULR<grin>

73

jerry--------k5psh

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

--- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, "Stephen Ponder" <n5wbi@...> wrote:
>
> Upon noticing that the "new" KGBC 1540 on Galveston Island
> was off the air, I tuned to 1530 and was rewarded with a
> nice ULR catch - "La Tremenda 1530 KGBT" in Harlingen, TX!
>
> The time was 2116 UTC (1516 PM CST) and all I was hearing
> was Spanish-language programming with Tejano music.  I had
> forgtten that KGBT was a Univision outlet.
>
> At 2159 UTC, they gave an English ID - "This is KGBT 1530
> in Harlingen, TX" and then a Spanish ID - "La Tremenda
> 15-30."  At 2201 UTC, their antenna pattern changed and
> ZAP! they were gone!
>
> Heard them using my DT-400W barefoot.
>
> 73,
>
> Steve N5WBI
> Clear Lake City TX
>

#7454 From: D1028Gary@...
Date: Thu Jan 21, 2010 8:14 pm
Subject: Re: Chinese on 1431
dxergary
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Tony and Rob,
 
The Chinese signal from CHKT-1430 really gets out, into the west.
 
Nigel Pimblett of Dunmore, Alberta sent me a strong MP3 of the station all alone on 1430, asking for Chinese dialect identification. I was amazed at the signal, which was in the Cantonese dialect (through which Nigel had positive identifcation, because of a Chinese network ID).
 
73, Gary DeBock 
 
In a message dated 1/21/2010 3:15:45 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, va3sw@... writes:
 

Robert S.Ross VA3SW wrote:

Antonios Kekalos wrote:
 

First heard at 1745 eastern and still going fairly strong at 1805. Some fading, but never lose completely. Can anyone tell me if this is a probable valid international signal or a local with Chinese programming? Radios are Sony SRF-M37V and GE Super Radio III.

--
Tony Kekalos
Traverse City, MI
EN74es


Tony...this will be CHKT Toronto ONTARIO....they are predominately CHINESE Programming. 50 KW

THEY are actually on 1430 KHZ!!

73......ROB VA3SW

Robert S. Ross
London, Ontario CANADA


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