Articles

Articles & Hints by AD5X

Newest Projects - Added within the past year or so

	Amplifier Overshoot Protection - One way to protect your amplifier from transceiver overshoot
	An In-Line Spectrum Analyzer Station Interface - Automatic T/R switching for an in-line spectrum analyzer
	SG-2020 Operation from a 4S2P LiPo battery - Weekend operation from a low-cost battery
	Power Supply Powerpole Adaper - Build a plug-in Powerpole adapter for your power supply
	Automatic Voltage Reducer for LiPo 4S Batteries - Protect your radio from fully charged 4S LiPo voltages automatically
	Milliwatt Power Sensor for the Powermaster - Directly reads 1-3000mw from 160-2 meters
	Transceiver Power Control Accessory - Easily set power for tune-up and amplifier drive
	Autotuner Antenna Management Device - Add a dummy load port and lightning/static protection to your station.
	Transceiver Front End Protection - Protect your transceiver's front-end if it is subjected to potentially damaging signals.
	LiPo 4S Voltage Reducer - Simple in-line unit reduces +16.8V fully charged LiPo output to less than 15V
	Convert Orion Band Data to BCD or Band Voltage - Circuits to achieve BCD or Band Voltage from discrete Orion Band Data
	AlexLoop WalkHam camera tripod adapter - Lets you support your WalkHam loop antenna on an inexpensive camera tripod
	PreciseRF TTG1 2-tone generator accessory - External attenuator and PTT interface for the TTG1

Amplifier Related

	Attenuator for transceiver/amplifier interfacing - Makes putting your amp in-line a no-brainer!
	ALS-600/500 QSK Conversion - Simple, low cost internal QSK mod for the Ameritron ALS-600 and ALS-500 amplifiers.
	Flexible Amplifier QSK Keying Interface - Add Low Current Ground or +12V Keying, and Strappable Turn-Off Delay
	HF Amplifier QSK Switch - External relay-based HF Amplifier QSK switch
	THP Band Data Buffer - Interfaces that keep a turned-off THP amplifier from loading down transceiver band data outputs.

Antennas

	43-Foot Vertical 160- and 80-Meter Matching - UPDATED for easier duplication. Improves performance on 160- and 80-meters.
	Simple 43-foot 160/80 meter manual matching - More compact and less expensive than the above, but also less convenient.
	BandMaster to 43-ft Matcher - Automatically control the above 43-foot matching unit with the Array Solutions BandMaster
	Auto-tuner Tuning Range Extender - Or how I got my MFJ-927 to tune a 43-foot vertical on 160-Meters
	Extend High-Power Auto-tuners to 160-meters: A remote-switched high power 160M extender for 43-foot verticals.
	Build a 12/17 Meter Trap Dipole - Includes building your own high voltage capacitors.
	Portable Dipole - 40-10 meter *resonant* dipole for portable operation
	Vertical Travel Antenna - Compact & improved 60-10 meter portable vertical antenna

Antenna Tuners and Antenna Accessories

	TB-105 Thrust Bearing Use: How to properly interface the TB-105 with low-cost ham rotators
	Static Bleeders for Any Antenna: Stop worrying about damaging your antenna analyzer.
	Z-Match Antenna Tuner: 100 watt compact unit
	Tenna-Tune - Original Tenna-Tune article updated to support the IC-7000 as well as the IC-706-series transceivers.
	Tenna-Tune2 - Updated SWR tuning accessory for the IC-706/7000 and FT-857/897.
	Tenna-Tune Audio - An audio-based SWR indicator
	Manual Switch with Limit Indicator for screwdriver antennas
	Antenna Matching Bases for portable and mobile antennas
	VW New Beetle Mobile HF Antenna Base - Useful on many other cars as well
	SWR Tamers - Protect your transceiver during antenna tuning
	IC-706/703/7000 Tuning Interface - Simple tuning interface for IC-70X series radios
	SGC Simple SMARTLOCK - Simple but elegant, and works just like the SGC unit

Baluns, Ununs. Air-Wound Coils

	HF Legal Limit Current Balun - Build a 160-10 Meter Guanella 1:4 balun.
	HF Legal Limit Voltage Unun or Balun - Build a 160-10 Meter Ruthroff 1:4 unun or balun.
	K5OOR balun - Alternative build ideas and test results for a compact 100-watt balun
	Elecraft balun modifications - Make it a 1:1/4:1 switchable unit
	Build your own air-wound coils and coil supports
	Multi-Impedance Switched Transformer for Short HF Antennas

Boat-Anchor Related

	QSK T/R Switch for your vintage station: Full break-in operation with any separate transmit-receive combo
	ARC5 Receiver Conversion Info: Bring that military receiver to life. Updated with clearer instructions and more pictures.
	Inexpensive Vacuum Tube Plate Supply: AC-isolated power supply for your vacuum tube receiver
	Johnson Ranger restoration project - Detailed info on updating/restoring this transmitter
	Johnson Ranger front panel removal - Step-by-step directions
	Boat-Anchor TR Switch - Simple T/R switch uses inexpensive DPDT relay
	Boat-Anchor Night Light - Unique gag gift for the older ham
	LED Replacements for incandescent pilot lamps

DC & Powering Related

	Simple PowerPole Adapter for Gamma HPS-1a - Plug-on adapter for the Gamma power supply
	DC Power through your coax - Multiplex DC voltage onto your feed line. Handles full legal limit 1.8-148 MHz & 400ma DC.
	BiasT hi-current and extended frequency - This BiasT willl handle 3-amps DC from 1.8-225 MHz.
	Voltage Protector - Protect your transceiver from voltage transients, over-voltage and reverse-voltage
	Voltage Reducer for IC-703 and other QRP transceivers
	IC-703 Side-Mounted battery pack - Self-contained IC-703
	Compact 9.6V NiMH Fast-Charger - For NiMH battery packs
	SG-2020 Battery Pack
	FT-817 voltage conditioner - and more!
	Variable Voltage Controller - Add-on to your fixed output power supply
	Surface-Mount your PowerPole Connectors - Simple support method for your workbench
	Battery Holder Voltage Drops - Home-brew battery pack considerations
	Digital milliammeter - Inexpensive in-line unit you can easily build

Measurements

	50dB RF Monitor Tap - 160-2 meter tap prevents overloading your spectrum analyzer
	Precision Mismatches - For checking your SWR Meter and Antenna Analyzer
	Accurate TX Power Measurements: 12- and 200-watt precision dummy load/peak detectors.
	Attenuators for Receiver Tests - Attenuators and techniques to check your receiver.
	Measure Inductor Q - Q Meter Adapter for your antenna analyzer.
	High Current DC Test Fixture - Switchable current steps to check power supplies & batteries
	Simple In-line Current/Voltage Monitoring Fixture - Get rid of your rat's nest of wiring

Miscellaneous

	Bosch DDS181 Bit Holder: This adds a screwdriver bit holder holder for the popular Bosch DDS181 drill.
	Cable Hanger: Inexpensive cable hanger cleans up your shack
	RF Patch Panel: Build an RF patch panel for transceiver and antenna interfacing in your shack
	Useful and inexpensive tools and supplies for the ham
	Temporary HF Mobile Mount & Powering: For occasional operation in different cars.
	Portable Work Area Extension - Use a portable cart to temporarily extend your work area
	Connectorizing RG-6 coax - How to solder a PL-259 to aluminum-shielded RG-6 coax
	Suitcase Portable HF Station - Entire station fits into an MFJ-6404 carrying case
	Speech Compressor for Dynamic Microphones - Specifically designed for the FT-817
	Add a fan to the IC-706/MKII/MKIIG heatsink
	Scratch-Proof the IC-706/703 flip-up stand
	FT-1K MKV Memory Keyer & Tune Control - Nice replacement for the FH-1 keypad
	Palm Paddle portable key base - Easily built non-skid snap-on steel base
	SG-2020 Mobile Mount - Built with parts from yur local hardware store
	Low-speed DC Motor - Used for remote tuning capacitors, etc.
	Simple RF Detector - Good from HF through 450 MHz
	LED Light - Great low current lighting for portable operation
	Reduce RFI in your Home & Shack: RFI minimizing techniques.
	Snap-On Ferrite Tests - Characterizing some snap-on ferrites, including tests as choke baluns

RF Switching Related

	Transmit/Receive Antenna Switch - For separate T/R antennas and single port transceivers
	160-2 Meter Remote Antenna Switch with control through the coax cable

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