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
>

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.
***************************************************************

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
>

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

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
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

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

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
>
>
>

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

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/

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?
>

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.  

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?)

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.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
>

--- 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/) .
>

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?

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,
>

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,

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
> >
>

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
>