The AM Forum

I apologize for my multiple posts on the technical forums. I'm having a bit of a time getting a classic AM station up and running. My working R388 is in pieces under restoration, and I haven't decided if my Valiant has an issue or not.

I've had decades of experience as an EE, but almost zilch in the troubleshooting department. Last night was the first time I circuit traced with an oscilloscope. I'm one of those engineers that designs the various electrical widgets for buildings and anything that lights up, blinks, rotates, or is wired up in some way. I'm comfortable with a soldering iron, counter, scope, VOM, K98K Mauser, K4SMN, etc.

I've known for years that at some point in my life I've made one of the electronic demons angry; perhaps for ridiculing the Sacred Memory of Ohm, Volta, or Ampere....

http://www.neidlinger.us/ohm.pdf
http://www.neidlinger.us/volta.pdf
http://www.neidlinger.us/ampere.pdf

So, I KNOW that whatever problem I tackle will be fraught with dangers. I'm an EE and I'm cursed!!!

First lesson of troubleshooting is never take ANYTHING for granted. A microphone which I would've bet was good 2 days ago was not. Duh.

So please have patience as I help keep the AMfone servers, hard drives, and switchers humming at near capacity.

Philip Neidlinger
Certiffikated Elek-ticle Injuneer

Dead Electrical Dudes!

Philip, your sense of humor goes a long way toward enhancing the historical vignettes you have so skillfully written. After following the three links you posted above I made a Google search that turned up your informative webpage with backgrounds of many other giants in our field at: http://www.neidlinger.us/

Thanks!
Bob - NE

You're most kind. I really need to revise the lead webpage as some of the links are WRONG. The general format is

http://www.neidlinger/***.pdf

So if one wanted Maxwell, you'd type in maxwell.pdf behind the last /

I think I uploaded a revised front page and it listed the files' location on my hard drive and not the URL.

Yes Phil - we're really annoyed when someone comes on here and starts making a bunch of posts about that boring radio stuff. Sheesh.  ::)

Acutally.... it's always encouraging to see a member using the site as intended, asking questions, posting occasional updates and so on. That's precisely what the site is for, and why the Tech section is second to no other online source of AM info. The collective wealth of knowledge combined with a lot of trial & error and other actual hands-on experience. Everyone who chooses to can benefit from it.

So yes - please - by all means, spin those drives.

and to impart some of our vast collective knowledge, if the drives seem to be slowing down, I recommend a liberal use of WD-40.

Fred