Here I’m stuck with serious Ice still on all my antennas after a full week from the “big storm.” Mother Nature sure was quick in the issue of the Ice and now is so slow in providing any relief melt. Sun is too weak and the temperatures too low to loosen more than 1/3 of the ice load.
Standing underneath to work mechanisms hoping the ice clears without damage wouldn’t be very safe. Two-Three pound chunks of ice falling 40-to-70 feet could do some damage. Also fear causing more damage by horsing the ice off. Safety first and then the knowledge that active efforts could make a small project in patience into a huge project in repairs, make waiting the ice out the best idea.
So I’ve been inventorying by electronic “to-build” kits and thinking about which to tackle next. For the most part I had reserved the present kits for deep winter builds – during that long stretch between New Years & Easter. Guess I will just move at least one kit forward.
On the shelf are a full range of kits:
- several QRPMe Tuna Can Kits LINK http://www.qrpme.com/
- a HF Packer-Amp Kit LINK http://www.hfprojectsyahoo.com/hf-packeramp.html
- several Nixie-Tube Clock Kits, homebrew parts & boards for several additional VFD & Nixie Clocks
- a Small Wonder Labs Retro-75 AM QRP Transceiver Kit LINK http://www.smallwonderlabs.com/Retro-75.htm
- an Evil Mad Scientist Bubble Dial Clock Kit LINK http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/bulbdialkit
Pretty well decided to tackle the Bubble Dial Clock kit next:
Evil Mad Scientist "Bubble Dial Clock Kit"
Followed by the Retro-75 AM QRP Transceiver:
Small Wonder Labs "Retro-75 AM QRP Transceiver"
The HF Packer-Amp would seem a natural third build if winter holds on that long:
HF Packer-Amp Kit
And the Tuna-Tin Kits (with the various Nixie Tube Clocks) will wait for another season:
QRPMe Tuna Tin Kits "in the Can"
Of course things might change…..
73
Steve
K9ZW
With Varying Frequency - Amateur Radio Ponderings 