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Author Topic: Station Coming together At the new WD8BIL  (Read 11963 times)
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WD8BIL
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« on: October 20, 2014, 11:00:23 AM »

Finally getting the chance to work on the station. The Drakes are back on the air.

Moving is a pain!!!

Buddly - WD8 Bud (no longer) In Lorain


* 20141018_211952.jpg (991.08 KB, 3264x1836 - viewed 530 times.)

* 20141018_212018.jpg (1059.55 KB, 3264x1836 - viewed 480 times.)
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WA2ROC
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« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2014, 11:14:32 AM »

FINALLY a photo of a ham shack with wires and cords you can actually see!

All the others I have seen posted look like displays in stores.

Hope to see ya on the air.
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Dick Pettit WA2ROC 
Vintage Heathkit Equipment
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W3GMS
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« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2014, 12:33:14 PM »

Finally getting the chance to work on the station. The Drakes are back on the air.

Moving is a pain!!!

Buddly - WD8 Bud (no longer) In Lorain


Looks good Buddly!  I have the exact same chair in Studio B here at GMS Radio!   That chair will give you a good 10db to your signal  Wink.

It appears to be a basement Ham Shack, so I hope you have some heat and don't become one of those Ham's that have to operate with a coat on! 

It will be great to hear you back on the air.  Catch you on 3.705 maybe. 

73,
Joe, GMS 
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Simplicity is the Elegance of Design---W3GMS
W2VW
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« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2014, 12:44:31 PM »

Looks good works well. What more could one ask for?
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KB2WIG
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« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2014, 12:56:24 PM »

"   operate with a coat on "

I'll bet that you'd find a bath robe a bit better. Its got bigger pockets to put the remotes, donuts, and other stuff you need. Also, try putting some Styrofoam packing sheets on the floor under your feet. They help.

No beer cooler?


klc

Oh yeah, the shack looks FB.
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WD8BIL
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« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2014, 01:12:50 PM »

1) The old house has water heat and the boiler + pipes keep the basement nice n' toasty!
2) Gotta have wires for wireless communications!
3) The floor temp stays pretty constant so shoes or slippers are fine.
4) Fridge and a small pantry are just a few steps away out of the picture.

Yes Joe, the chair does increase the signal to the wires. See you on the air this winter!

Buddly
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W3GMS
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« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2014, 02:08:38 PM »


Yes Joe, the chair does increase the signal to the wires. See you on the air this winter!

Buddly

Glad your going to be comfortable when you operate Buddly!

Joe, GMS 
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K4RT
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« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2014, 03:27:50 PM »

Thanks for sharing your station photos. Nice shack bench & layout you have there.
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KL7OF
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« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2014, 06:31:52 PM »

Nice Bud....See you on the air...!
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WBear2GCR
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Brrrr- it's cold in the shack! Fire up the BIG RIG


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« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2014, 08:10:41 PM »

The best thing is the Heath clock with the Sperry gas discharge display!
Try to find replacements! Ha! Good luck with that.

I had a DRO (digital read out) for a milling machine that I fixed up and sold (why did
I do that??) it had the same readouts. Not sure how I found a replacement. But some of the old gas pumps used them! I was calling companies around the country that do gas pump repairs looking for some!!

                _-_
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K1JJ
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« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2014, 08:26:32 PM »

Looking FB, OM!

Neat and effective. I love the Drake gear. I used to own the twins too.


It may not be too late for a modification.... consider moving the operating table out from the wall by about 16-20" or so.  Give yourself a walk area back there. Being able to work on the back of the rigs while in operation can help troubleshooting immensely.  There are  a lot of reasons to get back there vs: having to pull rigs out from the front.

Then put a strut between the table and the wall and it will be solid.


Hope to catch ya on the air this fall.

T

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flintstone mop
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« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2014, 06:35:18 AM »

Buddly
Looks like several of us have that Heathkit clock. Mine still working, after all these years. I just changed it over for 24 hour to display UTC time for MARS.
Moving is so much fun.
Fred
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Fred KC4MOP
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« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2014, 11:05:56 AM »

Nice station Buddly! Someday, perhaps a second station for me?
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« Reply #13 on: October 21, 2014, 06:09:02 PM »

Move your bench out from the concrete wall about 6 inches and put that foam insulation board you can get at HD between the bench and wall. Leave a small air space between the concrete and insulation board. Your feet will be warm during the winter.
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« Reply #14 on: October 21, 2014, 08:50:53 PM »

Everyone knows that Buddly always operates while wearing his smoking jacket.


"   operate with a coat on "

I'll bet that you'd find a bath robe a bit better. Its got bigger pockets to put the remotes, donuts, and other stuff you need. Also, try putting some Styrofoam packing sheets on the floor under your feet. They help.

No beer cooler?


klc

Oh yeah, the shack looks FB.
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Patrick J. / KD5OEI
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WWW
« Reply #15 on: October 21, 2014, 09:27:28 PM »

That is a very nice looking shack. The wooden speaker box with a decent size speaker must be a help. Also I like the MLA-2500, have you modded it? The Drake stuff is supposedly a very good setup as well.

"   operate with a coat on "

I'll bet that you'd find a bath robe a bit better. Its got bigger pockets to put the remotes, donuts, and other stuff you need. Also, try putting some Styrofoam packing sheets on the floor under your feet. They help.

No beer cooler?


klc

Oh yeah, the shack looks FB.


Operating - classically acording to QST ads, rumors, old pictures, etc..
With immaculate coat and tie
Or maybe disheveled after the Boiled Owl Net?
Or business casual and rolled up sleeves as the XYL brings in a platter with a cold beer and a chilled glass?
Or Carl and Jerry style?
Or with a smoking jacket, a pipe, and fez?



No I'm never gonna tune it without the fez on
Oh no
No I'm never gonna tune it without the fez on
Oh no
I'm on AM
Please understand
I wanna see your new band plan

No I'm never gonna do it without the fez on
Oh no
Ain't never gonna do it without the fez on
Oh no
I run AM
That's what I am
I wanna see your new band plan

No I'm never gonna key it without the fez on
Oh no
Don't make me key it without the fez on
Oh no
I run AM
please understand
I wanna see your RF tan..

(does steely dan deserve an apology for that? feel free to improve it.)
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WD8BIL
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« Reply #16 on: October 22, 2014, 02:27:09 PM »

Tom: The bench has those super slider pads on the feet so it moves very easy even with all the gear on it. We think alike. Getting back there was a prime factor in the plan! I know you had Drakes. This T4X has the mods Chris and you documented on AMWINDOW.org. (plus a few of my own)

OP: Yes, the speaker makes the Icom sound great. The 746 has 9KHz bandwidth on AM...... sweet! The MLA2500 has 8874s in it since 1980. Every year or so I take the blower off and clean it along with the tubes. A gentle blow out with the air gun cleans the sockets and air ports.

I don't smoke so a smoking jacket wouldn't be proper. I wear a flannel shirt, camo ball cap, jeans and huntin' boots. Thar's a spittoon by mah feet KA MAN!!
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W3RSW
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Rick & "Roosevelt"


« Reply #17 on: October 22, 2014, 03:06:31 PM »

Quote
...please understand
I wanna see your RF tan..

(does steely dan deserve an apology for that? feel free to improve it.)

Perfection can't be improved upon. 
...though you might add a verse about the miscreant's invoked FCC ban.

And very nice shackeroo their Buddly.
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RICK  *W3RSW*
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It's alive. IT'S ALIVE!!!


« Reply #18 on: October 22, 2014, 03:12:29 PM »

Looks like standard 2x4 studs. Are you planning on painting/staining the bare wood? If your water heater is gas fired, you may wish to get some fresh air in there somehow as the O2 gets used up.  I had a similar situation in my first house after moving out (gas water heater in shack off of main garage). I will tell you it sure kept that small 6x9 room warm. The code inspector folks didn't like it one bit when we sold the house.
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« Reply #19 on: October 22, 2014, 03:46:50 PM »

I always liked the Drake R4 series.
I had an R4a and an R4c, very nice but really narrow on AM.
I remember being in a qso a long time ago and not being able to hear everyone in the group, till I tuned off to the side, some guys were a few KC's off frequency and out of the passband totally, I heard no signs of them....

Stable, small, only the bandwidth was an issue.
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Ralph W3GL
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« Reply #20 on: October 22, 2014, 04:52:10 PM »

I don't smoke so a smoking jacket wouldn't be proper. I wear a flannel shirt, camo ball cap, jeans and huntin' boots. Thar's a spittoon by mah feet KA MAN!!

Buddly,

 I saw that can of snuff sitting there and was going to ask where you had hidden the spittoon but thought better of it as everyone knows snuff can be very dangerous to ones mouth health...

I still have a Drake R-4 & the "C" line twins here but haven't used them in over 15 years.  Might dig some of that stuff out one day.     Undecided

Any one need a Miessner "CX Signal Shifter"?,  I've got one.  How about a Johnson Navigator {sans original meter} or a FT101ZC {with the W3DUQ mods performed by Bill himself} or dusty old DX100... All this stuff, plus more, is here waiting for the W3GL estate close-out one of these days...  Better later than sooner...  Roll Eyes

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73,  Ralph  W3GL 

"Just because the microphone in front of you amplifies your voice around the world is no reason to think we have any more wisdom than we had when our voices could reach from one end of the bar to the other"     Ed Morrow
WD8BIL
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« Reply #21 on: October 23, 2014, 09:01:54 AM »

Actually it's built with 2X3 lumber. A dollar cheaper per board and still plenty strong. Makes the bench just a bit lighter too.
Water heater is gas and there is plenty of ventilation with the inside/outside air heat exchanger. It was necessary to keep the fireplace burning well during the winter when all the house is closed up.

This is my wife's childhood home so we are really familiar with it.
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