Ham Radio in the Internet Age
Even if you are relatively young, you can probably think back on what TV was like when you were a kid and then realize that TV today is completely different. …read more Continue reading Ham Radio in the Internet Age
Author Archives: Al Williams
Silent Antenna Tuning
If you want to deliver the maximum power to a load — say from a transmitter to an antenna — then both the source and the load need to have …read more Continue reading Silent Antenna Tuning
Classic Heathkit OL-1 Scope Gets Some TLC
These days, not only are oscilloscopes very common, but even a cheap instrument today would have been the envy of the world’s greatest labs not that long ago. But back …read more Continue reading Classic Heathkit OL-1 Scope Gets Some TLC
Heathkit Signal Generator Gets an Update
[DTSS_Smudge] correctly intuits that if you are interested in an old Heathkit signal generator, you probably already know how to solder. So, in a recent video, he focused on the …read more Continue reading Heathkit Signal Generator Gets an Update
Give Your SMD Components a Lift
When you are troubleshooting, it is sometimes useful to disconnect a part of your circuit to see what happens. If your new PCB isn’t perfect, you might also need to …read more Continue reading Give Your SMD Components a Lift
For Desalination, Follow the Sun
It’s easy to use electricity — solar-generated or otherwise — to desalinate water. However, traditional systems require a steady source of power. Since solar panels don’t always produce electricity, these …read more Continue reading For Desalination, Follow the Sun
Nuclear Tomb Must Survive
It is hard to imagine that much we built today will be used ten years from now, much less in a hundred. It is hard to make things that last …read more Continue reading Nuclear Tomb Must Survive
The 1983 Clock Four Decades in the Making
In 1983, a 14-year-old [Will] saw an LED clock in The Sharper Image store. At $250, it stayed in the store. That was a lot of money back then, especially …read more Continue reading The 1983 Clock Four Decades in the Making
Strange English Teaching Computer Might Have Been Big in Japan
[Ctrl-Alt-Rees] bought something strange on an auction site: a Japanese Cefucom-21 from 1983. No? Didn’t ring a bell for us either. The legend on the front boldly proclaims: “CCI Multipurpose …read more Continue reading Strange English Teaching Computer Might Have Been Big in Japan
An SAO for Hams
Generally speaking, the Hackaday Supercon badge will always have a place for SAO (rebranded as “Supercon add-ons”), and that makes sense. We did originate them, after all. This year, though, …read more Continue reading An SAO for Hams