Planting Around a Tower 30 - May - 2009
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, K9ZW, K9ZW Built, K9ZW Shack.Tags: K9ZW, K9ZW Shack
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Planters Around Tower
The Tower here is a TriEx LM-354 55 Ft Crank Down unit (it picks up the extra foot from the Tip-Over assembly) on an oversized base. I sized the base for the newer LM-470 (now by Tashjian Towers) to provide for an upgrade option down the road.
Though we have a large lot, there were limitations on where a tower could go, and since the tower went up I’ve often looked at the lawn around it wondering what I could do to make it more attractive.
We’ve had four 6-1/2 ft x 6-1/2 ft raised bed planters built & filled, in a harlequin-pattern around the concrete base. Because of the slope the beds are tiered.
I’m in the midst of installing a small hemmed copper angle inside the boxes. The roughly 1 inch wide copper band will cut down on slugs, snails and certain other garden pests, as they dislike the “taste” of the copper refusing to cross it.
My grounding-halo is secure underneath the new beds, and one planter had to be notched to clear underground conduits carrying feedlines, power, rotor control cables and remote switch control lines.
At the bottom of the beds scrap 3/8 inch thick geotechnical fabric was laid in where the sod had been removed, providing a root & pest resistant barrier under the 14-16 inches of new composted soil fill.
A new junction box I had made will clear, holding the lightning protection, remote switch and connectors.
Soon all around the tower we will have four nice gardens going. A bit worried that a lot will be fed to the deer, possibly requiring deer fencing to get a harvestable crop.
Planter Slug-Strip Detail
Pictures soon,
73
Steve
K9ZW
Venison Counterpoises – Deer Damage to GAP Titan DX Antenna 18 - January - 2009
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, K9ZW Built, K9ZW Shack.Tags: K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled
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A strange glimmer across the 200 feet from the base of my GAP Titan DX Antenna caught my eye.
Aluminum glinting in the cold winter sun from the counterpoise area at the antenna base.
Never saw that before…..Hmm, that isn’t likely to be good…
Found the counterpoise cross arms and wire loop fairly mangled.
The tracks in the snow quickly reveal what has happened.
Due to the deep snow deer had somehow ended up entangled in the counterpoise, and panic had caused them to fight their way out.
Most bucks have dropped the horns, but it is possible that a buck’s rack was the tangling cause.
The digital camera is on charge so I can go out and get pictures.
As the Titan doesn’t have a feed line this winter, as it was promised to another area amateur, I hadn’t noticed exactly when it was damaged.
73
Steve
K9ZW
Nixie Tubes – a Blast from the Past 28 - August - 2008
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, K9ZW Built, K9ZW Just Rambled, K9ZW Learned.Tags: K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled, Nixie Clock, Nixie Tubes
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In the midst of the all my computer chaos I’ve also started another project – building a Nixie Tube Clock kit.
What are Nixie Tubes? They are a Cold Cathode Display Tube harkening back to the Cold War. For the most part most Western Countries dropped Nixie Tubes in the Early to Mid 1970s, but the former USSR kept them in production another 20 years.
Nixie Tube of the type I am using
The Clock Kit I’m doing was sold by a UK based Nixie Specialist and uses the IN-12 & IN-17 size tubes.
Nixie Clock "Frank" in a plain case
I’ve something quite different in mind for my case.
Former USSR countries are the primary source for bulk Nixie Tubes, and though these tubes have rated lifetimes measured in many decades bulk packs of spare IN-12 & IN-17 tubes were also sourced, along with a good supply of the FET transistors and driver micro chips for further experimentation.
Will do some build pictures for a follow up.
73
Steve
K9ZW
Bruce Array Antennas & Warehouse Floors 8 - December - 2007
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, K9ZW Built, K9ZW Items For Sale.add a comment
The crank-up tower problem on Washington Island had taken down the Bruce Array I had built for W9EVT.
In building the first one we’d learned a lot and in the field tuning more nuances of the Bruce Array were discovered.
Field tuning was much more sensitive than expected.
So plans are being made to build another Bruce Array for W9EVT on WI-001L.
The warehouse where we built last time is filled with winter storage at the moment, though with the experience of the first build proving out the roll-up build system we trialed I think we could do the build in a much smaller area.
The field-assembly system we designed also worked excellent. The transformation from a spool of wire & antenna ropes to a ready to lift Bruce Array couldn’t have gone any better.
Reality is that until the snow clears on the Island and the ground firms enough for the Terex Lift the Bruce Array wouldn’t go up – so perhaps waiting for the storage to clear and building then would work out.
Thinking more than one will be built – the main new one for W9EVT and a spare for him to store (will leave the balun out of the spare for the time being).
It would not be very hard to make this a short run of Bruce Arrays.
If any of you reading might be interested in a 40m Bruce Array for your QTH this spring, please drop me a note. We could discuss if the design we’re building would work for you and put some costs together based on whether you’d be helping with the build & the final spec.
73
Steve
K9ZW
Brian N1BQ’s Arduino Page – More Arduino Learning Resources 28 - November - 2007
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, K9ZW Built, K9ZW Recommends.Tags: Arduino, BoArduino, K9ZW
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Brian N1BQ’s Arduino Page brings together a mass of Arduino resources as well as a tutorial he is working on. Lessons up to lesson number 7 are already up with 11 more to follow.
It is worth bookmarking this one if you are an Arduino experimenter.
Thanks to Brian N1BQ for the excellent all-in-one Arduino Page!
73
Steve
K9ZW
An Illuminating Idea for Gear – Glowire 27 - November - 2007
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, Emcomm, K9ZW Built.2 comments
I presently looking into using Glowire to light areas of my shack during operation that need some light, but only as a reference.
Some of the in-vehicle uses look adaptable to outfitting for amateur radio gear.
Same firm offers ultra-bright LEDs and also Glowsheets using the same technology on a flat sheet.
Here is a small sampling of the information on the Glowire website:
What is GLOWIRE?
GLOWIRE is an electroluminescent wire – a copper wire coated with a phosphorus material and wrapped with two tiny transmitter wires. It is then sealed in a waterproof casing. GLOWIRE looks very similar to neon when powered.
What makes it glow?
GLOWIRE must be powered by a driver (inverter) in order to glow. A driver takes a DC input voltage and provides an AC output voltage of approximately 120 volts. Both 9 volt and 12 volt drivers are available with varying frequencies ranging from 400 to 4000hz. Brightness is determined by voltage and frequency. The lower the frequency, the dimmer it glows, the higher frequency the brighter it glows.
How do I know which driver to use?
You need to determine the length of GLOWIRE you want to run and the type of power source you are using. 9 volt drivers will generally run a maximum of 12-14 feet of GLOWIRE. Using longer sections of wire will decrease the brightness. You also need to use a minimum of at least 3 feet or the driver may overload and be damaged. Some of the 12 volt drivers can power 120 feet of wire or more.
How is GLOWIRE used?
The uses of GLOWIRE are limited only by your imagination. Some of the most common uses are for RC models, car interiors, costumes, safety equipment, motorcycles, decorations, art projects, backlighting or mood lighting, signs and model trains. The list goes on and on.
Does it come in different colors?
General purpose GLOWIRE comes in 10 colors: aqua, blue, green, lime, orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow.
Heavy duty GLOWIRE comes in 8 colors: aqua, blue, green, lime, orange, red, white and yellow.
Ultra heavy duty GLOWIRE comes in 5 colors: aqua, blue, green, lime and yellow.
Aqua is considered to be the brightest color as it is the natural color of the wire.
What is the difference between general purpose, heavy duty, and ultra heavy duty GLOWIRE?
General purpose GLOWIRE has a diameter of 2.3mm. It is generally used for situations where the wire will not be under a great deal of stress. Heavy duty GLOWIRE has an extra layer of PVC protection and also UV protection giving it a diameter of 3.2mm. Ultra heavy duty GLOWIRE has an even thicker layer of pvc protection and has a flat side for easy installation. The ultra heav duty GLOWIRE comes with 1/8″ clear 3M double sided high bond tape for easy mounting.
Does it ever burn out?
Although GLOWIRE never burns out, it will become dimmer over time. The higher the frequency used to power the wire, the faster it will dim. At 4000hz it will last over 1600 hours. At 400hz it will remain bright for over 5700 hours.
Can it be cut?
GLOWIRE can easily be cut with wire cutters. The cut end needs to be properly terminated to prevent moisture damage and to prevent the wire from shorting out. GLOWIRE runs on a parallel circuit, therefore there does not have to be a return path. The end will need to be sealed with super glue, epoxy, silicone, heat shrink, etc to make certain that no moisture will get in the wire.
Can GLOWIRE be spliced with other wire?
Yes, you can add as much hook up wire as needed, but the total amount of GLOWIRE is limited by the type of driver you are using. For example, if you are using a 5541-2K driver, it can drive 18-45 feet of GLOWIRE. You can have 5 feet of hook up wire, 20 feet of GLOWIRE, 10 feet of hook up wire, 10 feet of GLOWIRE, 5 feet of hook up wire and up to 15 more feet of GLOWIRE.
More to follow as I experiment with Glowire. I have a R/C airplane started and plan to incorporate it in this plane as well as experiment in my shack.
73
Steve
K9ZW
