Darrell, WA5VGO Some Homebrew equipment

[KX5JT]

Darrell loves to homebrew.  His passion for the tube equipment is evident in his work.  Bear suggested I link these pics to AMFone, great idea!




Top Shelf, Left to Right
1-QRP Transmitter, 2E26 modulated by 6DZ7, 15 Watts , 80 and 40 meters.
2-Receiver, Double conversion using all Loktal tubes and plug in coils, 80 thru 10 meters, Collins mechanical filters. Above it is a Homebrew VFO for the 807 transmitter.
3-Receiver, Double conversion, band switched 160 thru 10 meters, Collins Mechanical filters. Above it is a 6L6 modulator for the 807 transmitter.

Bottom Shelf, Left to Right
1-Receiver, Band imaging receiver for 80 and 40 meters. Perfect oscillator tracking and no band switching required. Has mechanical filter in 2nd IF.
2-807 Transmitter. 50 watts input 80 thru 10 meters.
3-Matching transmitter for the band imaging receiver. 4D32 modulated by 809's, VFO control, 80 and 40 meters, 100 watts output.

[KE5YTV]

Wow  I'm impressed. Great job!!

Mike

[The Slab Bacon]

WOW! ! ! ! ! !  fantastic looking workmanship!!

[W7TFO]

Makes me get soft warm fuzzies!

73DG

[W2XR]

Yeah, very well executed layout, and real pride in workmanship; this gentleman's equipment looks like something out of the older (pre-1965) QSTs or Orr's Radio Handbook.

Like all homebrewed gear, it must be great fun to own and operate.

Thanks for sharing!

73,

Bruce

[Jim, W5JO]

Not only does his equipment look nice but the transmitter sounds as good as the set looks.  Darrell is very accomplished.

[WA1GFZ]

Beautiful!

[KX5JT]

Not only does his equipment look nice but the transmitter sounds as good as the set looks.  Darrell is very accomplished.

It's true! I've heard a couple different transmitters that he's built.  All sound great!  2e26 rig, 4d32 rig and an 807 rig I believe.  Darrell is the type that spends more of his ham time building than operating but he does put his stuff on the air and it's always a pleasure to work him.  He is definitely an inspiration.

[Steve - K4HX]

I feel so inadequate. 

Very nice stuff. The work of a craftsman.

[WA1GFZ]

Steve, you could build a pretty rig.....

[Steve - K4HX]

I'm working on it ......

[K1JJ]

Nice and shiny work.  Roomy enough to add a hot tub!   

How come I always need a crowbar to fit parts in?

T

[W2PFY]

If I worked with him in his shop for ten years, I still couldn't build that nice. He must be a mechanical engineer or something in his working life??

[Opcom]

Looks like good old fashioned commercial gear. Very top notch work.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

If I worked with him in his shop for ten years, I still couldn't build that nice. He must be a mechanical engineer or something in his working life??

Same here, though I'd like to believe I *could* do it if I applied myself. I'm sure that proper training and plenty of experience play a role, but I suspect patience and a measured approach make a big difference in the end result. So long as you can take your time without the burning desire to try it out now, you have the ability to take your time, take a break, walk away when needed, think things through, do it right.

It also helps to have the proper tools, a well-stocked shop, and good materials available. I suspect Darrell's junkbox looks considerably better than what I have kicking around in my garage.


That is truly some beautiful gear.

[KX5JT]

I had a few inquiries about if Darrell had strictly followed ARRL handbooks or some other sources. 

I emailed and he replied basically that he would borrow ideas from commercial equipment/ QST articles/ handbooks or where ever.  He would build and test a stage at a time, sometimes the stage might be an exact copy but often he would tweak things.  When he was through, he would have a dozens of schematics that when combined would represent the final product.  Then he would cram all the notes, sketches etc into a large manilla folder and HOPE we never have to decipher them later.   

[W3GMS]

Wow, I sure would like to meet him someday and see his shop!  Actually when someone has that kind of talent, he does not need a fancy shop to produce good work.  I would be curious if he builds a protype and gets all the bugs worked out and then after that, builds the "production" version.  Often times when your designing gear, it takes those two steps to ultimately produce something that looks that great. 
Regards,
Joe, W3GMS

[K1JJ]

Some people seem to have it in their DNA - like spiders that instinctively weave complex and intricate webs.

Another guy's work to look at is Chuck/K1KW.  When we were both about 14 years old, Chuck came to my house with his father. He had under his arm a homebrew screen modulated 6146 AM transmitter. It was built into a Bud "shadow cabinet" with a pristine looking aluminum chassis. He opened it up and I thought he was pulling my leg. I thought HOW could ANYONE build a piece of commercial gear like that?

Later, in high school, Chuck built a 4X1 modulated by 833A's. Way ahead for his age. The RF deck is still used by a ham up in Maine and is a work of art.

My point is, some guys learned to do it RIGHT at an early age and were never ambushed by the JS demons.  Darrel with his FB rigs pictured above is another one of them.  These guys show the rest of us how it should be done...  (and there's more of these guys amongst us, of course)

T

[KD0HUX]

 THAT IS GREAT CRAFTMAN SHIP

[Jim, W5JO]

While we are at it, take a look at this guy's site.  He has documented his work quite well like Darrell.

http://www.zianet.com/k5am/

[KX5JT]

Very nice stuff Jim!