never wind a coil while tired, distracted or brain dead...

[Ed/KB1HYS]

I was trying to wind up a grid input coil. A simple affair, a 3/4 inch form with 50 turns with taps at 5, 8, 13 and 25t using 26g wire.  Piece of cake right?

first shot, turns count to short, turns left over. hmm.  Peal wire off, try again. dang, musta misscounted. off again. wind and count real carefully each and every turn. wrong again. Recount, nope didn't miss any. Addup the number of turns. still off.WTF over! put the whole thing on the counter and read a book for a while.

Went back and the light dawned (it weren't no CFL either) it wasn't 5 turns,tap and then 8 turns, tap etc. it was tap AT 5 turns, and AT 8 turns, etc.  OH of all the dumb things... Just couldn't see it in front of my face.

Ah well, it's supposed to be fun right?

[WD8BIL]

That's OK, ED. We've all soldered PL259s on before putting the threaded shell on the cable!

[WA3VJB]

That's OK, ED. We've all soldered PL259s on before putting the threaded shell on the cable!

More than once.

[WZ1M]

OR, put the shell on backwards. Damn I hate when that happens.................
Gary...WZ1M

[KC2IFR]

How true....How true.........
OR.......make the same mistake with 1/4 inch phone plugs..........u make the best soldering connections ever then no shell.......

Bill

[WQ9E]

One of my 100 foot runs to the tower has a total of 3 shells.  At least two of them are in the right location and oriented properly proving the old adage, "two shells are better than none".

Rodger WQ9E

[Ed/KB1HYS]

yep, I been there too. Seems that the better the solder job, the higher probability you will have forgotten about something else.

[K5UJ]

That's OK, ED. We've all soldered PL259s on before putting the threaded shell on the cable!

BUDLEY!!!  I NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO DONE THAT?

[KB2WIG]

My stupifying moment entailed wiring  a power plug for my AN/ART13 and cross connecting the 400V and 1250V pins.... Let out some smoke.  I then commenced to connect the same plug to the other AN/ART13 and POOF.


klc

[WD8BIL]

I guess OOOOOPPPPS is a common expression in our group!

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Or ouch....*##@& it!

[W4EWH]

... it wasn't 5 turns,tap and then 8 turns, tap etc. it was tap AT 5 turns, and AT 8 turns, etc.  OH of all the dumb things... Just couldn't see it in front of my face.

I can't picture the difference. If I wind 5 turns and put a tap there, isn't that the same as tapping the coil at 5 turns? What am I missing?

Bill, W1AC

[W9GT]

I was trying to wind up a grid input coil. A simple affair, a 3/4 inch form with 50 turns with taps at 5, 8, 13 and 25t using 26g wire.  Piece of cake right?

first shot, turns count to short, turns left over. hmm.  Peal wire off, try again. dang, musta misscounted. off again. wind and count real carefully each and every turn. wrong again. Recount, nope didn't miss any. Addup the number of turns. still off.WTF over! put the whole thing on the counter and read a book for a while.

Went back and the light dawned (it weren't no CFL either) it wasn't 5 turns,tap and then 8 turns, tap etc. it was tap AT 5 turns, and AT 8 turns, etc.  OH of all the dumb things... Just couldn't see it in front of my face.

Ah well, it's supposed to be fun right?

Yes...and when counting turns on a finished coil you can end up always having one too many turns if you count the first wire instead of the second (which is the first full turn).   Sometimes frustrating also when you don't wind the turns in the same direction when winding a multi-winding coil.  Doesn't work too well that way.  Ah...memories of early regen receiver projects.

73,  Jack, W9GT

[Ed/KB1HYS]

... it wasn't 5 turns,tap and then 8 turns, tap etc. it was tap AT 5 turns, and AT 8 turns, etc.  OH of all the dumb things... Just couldn't see it in front of my face.

I can't picture the difference. If I wind 5 turns and put a tap there, isn't that the same as tapping the coil at 5 turns? What am I missing?

Bill, W1AC

The difference was the number of turns between taps.  For example, between 5 and 8 there are three turns.  I was winding on 5 turns then tapping, then winding on an additional 8 turns and tapping. I kept having a bad count on the last tap! When I realized it was a Well DUH moment.  Funny thing is, I've wound so many coils for receivers and such. I guess I had a brain cramp...

[KC2IFR]

Or even worse........u remember the last time u forgot the shell........so this time u DO remember and feel real proud only to find out u put the shell on backwards..........been there, done that!

Bill

[Ed/KB1HYS]

Or you are up very high, and realize the tool you absolutely need is safely on the ground below...
so you climb down to get it, get back up there and realize the part you were going to install was left on the ground when you went to get the tool...

Not that I"VE ever done that or anything...