Other 'blog and Spring "slowdown" -- Shameless begging

Sorry I've been so quiet lately.  I've had an over month long stint of 50+ hour weeks at work, a lot of stuff to do with the kids, and I also got invited to post at a more general interest Amateur Radio 'blog.  It is my intent to still post here-- with more details on my projects-- but I will do more general interest and synopsis type stuff at the other site.  Weather in IA is only good about 5 months a year, and I have to do outside stuff starting now, or stuff will fall apart around me-- more than it already is!

See AmateurRadio.com for some of my other posts.  I may cross post some of the stuff, but since the interfaces between the two sites are a lot different, that may be too time consuming.  (The other site's "wordpress" interface stinks, IMHO.. but it is what it is!)  I invite anyone interested in my drivel to look at the other 'blog as much of it will be more interesting than my (highly biased!) thoughts on the hobby.

I have a lot of stuff in the works, if and when I get it done (if and when I ever have free time again to work on it).. there will be flurry of postings at both sites, and hopfully completed projects will go to the website.  It takes a long time to properly document the projects, but there are inherent advantages to doing so.. so I intend on 'blogging the results.

Projects still in the works:

The HF amplifier project, and SDR-Cube to "general purpose HF rig".  This is the long term one.  The AN-762 Amplifer is done minus the finals being mounted.  The K5OOR amp filter is done, but I still want to bring it into work and tweak the filters on a VNA.  Then I need to interface it to the AVR and write a little code to idiot proof the operation of the Amp.

Antennas:  18 MHz/24 MHz WARC beam made from a Cushcraft 10-3 and other surplus antenna tubing I had lying around.  This is almost done, but needs to be tuned.  It should be a useful writeup when I get it done.  It's a "Moxon" (Cebik) Rectangle on 17m and a two element "open sleeve coupled" (coupled resonators is a better name) two element yagi on 12m.

Antennas: 6M beam on the same mast.. a 30m dipole either rotatable on the same mast or as a wire from the roof tower (6M and WARC) to the main tower.  Of course the roof tower needs to have a rotor put into it, a thrust bearing mounted and it be bolted to the roof of the garage opposite to the main tower...

Antennas:  two element phased array for 40m.  I have new tubing from DX engineering for this and was hoping to have posts in the ground by now.  I think I'm going to elevate the radials since it's probably already too late to lay them down and have the grass grow around them this spring!  :O(.. I can always add a screen under the elevated ones later.  On 40m I don't think it's so critical.. 80m and 160m you probably cannot elevate the antenna enough practically to make the elevated radials work worth a darn.  I have my own theory on this but can't prove it so I may never mention it.

and.. I have a shed kit to build to get the mower and snowblower out of the garage to try to make up some room that I took away when I put my hamshack room in the detached garage by the antennas.

Operating:  Still working on DXCC (only have 41 confirmed out of about 120 countries worked for ARRL, less on eQSL.cc..)  I just got envelopes and foreign stamps from William Plum and some IRC's from the post office, so the $6 per country cost to get mail QSLs is starting.  Cocaine is a cheaper hobby, methinks..  Also working on WAS.  I could use some help with this.  If you are in KS, RI. ND, SD, MN, ME, NV, WY and are willing to QSL LoTW or paper I can use you (also eQSL.cc would be highly appreciated too).  If you are in LoTW and in DE, UT, MT that's easier than the card checker!  All skeds can also be arranged to get/contact a Collins ARC card (quite collectible-- very nice) because I can also contact you as W0CXX.  I'm also willing to do this from a vintage Collins radio as well if it's near working hours in the midwest.  Contact me via e-mail via my QRZ.com listing e-mail.  This offer also goes for *any* DX even if it's something I already have confirmed.  I'll do it for any stateside as well... :)

So it'll be a busy spring.  I appreciate the followers of this 'blog being patient.  Hopefully I'll get it all done and have some good posts upcoming.

73