AA7EE
@the-rugster.bsky.social
QRP CW, Part 15 AM broadcasting, ham homebrew, being careless with superglue and suffering the consequences. QRP/radio please and no politics. Thank you.
There are times in my homebrew life when I feel like giving it a big, long break, temporarily giving up, and buying a commercially manufactured rig 😄
But then, I think of all the parts I could buy with that money...........
But then, I think of all the parts I could buy with that money...........
November 17, 2025 at 3:32 PM
There are times in my homebrew life when I feel like giving it a big, long break, temporarily giving up, and buying a commercially manufactured rig 😄
But then, I think of all the parts I could buy with that money...........
But then, I think of all the parts I could buy with that money...........
Builders - is it just me, or are you also often surprised at how heavy a board gets as you build a circuit on it? Parts are heavy!
November 11, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Builders - is it just me, or are you also often surprised at how heavy a board gets as you build a circuit on it? Parts are heavy!
I have long read that stations with excellent antennas are able to take advantage of band openings the rest of us are barely aware exist. It was instructive to know that my QRP sigs and simple wire antenna can make the 1500 miles from CA to TX just before sunrise on 15M - tnx to the RBN and K5TR.
October 30, 2025 at 2:30 PM
I have long read that stations with excellent antennas are able to take advantage of band openings the rest of us are barely aware exist. It was instructive to know that my QRP sigs and simple wire antenna can make the 1500 miles from CA to TX just before sunrise on 15M - tnx to the RBN and K5TR.
Listening to 40 on my new 2-transistor regen and just heard W9KNI. He's the author of "The Complete DX'er, a must-read for any HF enthusiast. There's a thrill in hearing amateur radio "celebrities", especially on simple homebrew sets. Just like the thrill I got from working Paul NA5N, a QRP titan.
October 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Listening to 40 on my new 2-transistor regen and just heard W9KNI. He's the author of "The Complete DX'er, a must-read for any HF enthusiast. There's a thrill in hearing amateur radio "celebrities", especially on simple homebrew sets. Just like the thrill I got from working Paul NA5N, a QRP titan.
Dagnabbit. I think I need a Drake 2B in excellent condition, preferably with the Q multiplier.
October 5, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Dagnabbit. I think I need a Drake 2B in excellent condition, preferably with the Q multiplier.
Wow, the fast and deep QSB on 12M is fun. I should spend more time on this band.
September 28, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Wow, the fast and deep QSB on 12M is fun. I should spend more time on this band.
QRP ops - do you ever have those moments in which you think, "To heck with it. I'll just buy a 500W amp." I don't think I could ever quite bring myself to do it, as I feel as if I'd be giving up but sometimes, it sure is tempting! 😆
September 27, 2025 at 2:17 PM
QRP ops - do you ever have those moments in which you think, "To heck with it. I'll just buy a 500W amp." I don't think I could ever quite bring myself to do it, as I feel as if I'd be giving up but sometimes, it sure is tempting! 😆
WOOF! Got V6D (Federated States of Micronesia) in the log with 5W. That's a new one for me. I'm going to get QRP DXCC CW this fall/winter season. I can feel it in my bones!
September 26, 2025 at 10:14 PM
WOOF! Got V6D (Federated States of Micronesia) in the log with 5W. That's a new one for me. I'm going to get QRP DXCC CW this fall/winter season. I can feel it in my bones!
One of the advantages of insomnia is the welcome surprise of listening to the V6D DX-pedition on 20M at 1:15am. Nice to hear 20M open in the middle of the night. I sure am looking forward to this DX season!
September 26, 2025 at 8:18 AM
One of the advantages of insomnia is the welcome surprise of listening to the V6D DX-pedition on 20M at 1:15am. Nice to hear 20M open in the middle of the night. I sure am looking forward to this DX season!
Worked FP5KE on CW on 3 band slots so far. It can be tough going, as I think they are favoring EU over the US in their beam headings and probably also band/time of day selections. Happy to have another entity in the log.
September 24, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Worked FP5KE on CW on 3 band slots so far. It can be tough going, as I think they are favoring EU over the US in their beam headings and probably also band/time of day selections. Happy to have another entity in the log.
Yesterday was the first day of fall, and the HF bands do seem to be perking up. I sure hope so. These last few months have been a little grim at times!
September 23, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Yesterday was the first day of fall, and the HF bands do seem to be perking up. I sure hope so. These last few months have been a little grim at times!
w00t! Just snagged KP5FE. Got 'em on 2 bands now, on CW (pretty much the only mode I operate). One step closer to QRP DXCC!
September 23, 2025 at 4:43 AM
w00t! Just snagged KP5FE. Got 'em on 2 bands now, on CW (pretty much the only mode I operate). One step closer to QRP DXCC!
Seen while standing in line at the supermarket checkout today: Pumpkin Spice Twinkies. The box was marked "Limited Edition".
I don't know, but I think that was the moment at which I realized we as a civilization have truly jumped the shark.
I don't know, but I think that was the moment at which I realized we as a civilization have truly jumped the shark.
September 23, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Seen while standing in line at the supermarket checkout today: Pumpkin Spice Twinkies. The box was marked "Limited Edition".
I don't know, but I think that was the moment at which I realized we as a civilization have truly jumped the shark.
I don't know, but I think that was the moment at which I realized we as a civilization have truly jumped the shark.
Somebody's cat fell asleep on the dit paddle on 14052.6. I wonder when it'll wake up from it's nap?
September 18, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Somebody's cat fell asleep on the dit paddle on 14052.6. I wonder when it'll wake up from it's nap?
I really want to like the LM386 in high-gain mode. I really do...........
September 13, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I really want to like the LM386 in high-gain mode. I really do...........
Oh gosh, I just love these things. Cadmium-plated brass vanes, ceramic end-plate. There might be something wrong with me.
September 12, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Oh gosh, I just love these things. Cadmium-plated brass vanes, ceramic end-plate. There might be something wrong with me.
The joy of listening to 40M CW and SSB on a single FET and 9V battery is a new one for me. I owe it all to N0WVA, G3XBM, and N2CQR.
September 6, 2025 at 3:45 PM
The joy of listening to 40M CW and SSB on a single FET and 9V battery is a new one for me. I owe it all to N0WVA, G3XBM, and N2CQR.
Sitting here with my morning coffee and trusty shack cat Sprout, listening to the Voice of Korea on 9435 on the regen, and reading "Us And Them" by Bill N2CQR (@soldersmoke.bsky.social) on my Kindle. Why did I wait so long to read this book? It's a wonderful read! Bill is a great storyteller.
August 30, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Sitting here with my morning coffee and trusty shack cat Sprout, listening to the Voice of Korea on 9435 on the regen, and reading "Us And Them" by Bill N2CQR (@soldersmoke.bsky.social) on my Kindle. Why did I wait so long to read this book? It's a wonderful read! Bill is a great storyteller.
Recently, I acquired a Western Electric 509-W headset in amazing condition, in the original box. Have an original instruction leaflet too. 100 years old. This stuff gets me far more excited than it should 😂
aa7ee.wordpress.com/2025/08/17/a...
aa7ee.wordpress.com/2025/08/17/a...
A Near-Minty Vintage Headset and a Book on Building the “Ultimate Regen”
No new construction projects here, I’m afraid, and none planned for the foreseeable future, though I have made some exciting and worthy acquisitions. A couple of years ago, I was looking for …
aa7ee.wordpress.com
August 29, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Recently, I acquired a Western Electric 509-W headset in amazing condition, in the original box. Have an original instruction leaflet too. 100 years old. This stuff gets me far more excited than it should 😂
aa7ee.wordpress.com/2025/08/17/a...
aa7ee.wordpress.com/2025/08/17/a...
Bluesky is full of the same cr*p that Twittter was. I just want a place where I can see your radio projects. It's great that you're a Democrat/Conservative/Lover of Jesus/whatever. I don't care. I just want to see how you biased that FET, and how stable your VFO is. Radio is my happy place.
August 29, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Bluesky is full of the same cr*p that Twittter was. I just want a place where I can see your radio projects. It's great that you're a Democrat/Conservative/Lover of Jesus/whatever. I don't care. I just want to see how you biased that FET, and how stable your VFO is. Radio is my happy place.
Oh my gosh. I just saw a regen builder make the claim that the regen was developed in France. As evidence, he reminded us of the existence of the "French tickler". As George Takei would say, "Oh myyy!" 😂
August 27, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Oh my gosh. I just saw a regen builder make the claim that the regen was developed in France. As evidence, he reminded us of the existence of the "French tickler". As George Takei would say, "Oh myyy!" 😂
I think I just want to spend the rest of my life building things with coils and high quality, beautiful old variable capacitors.
August 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I think I just want to spend the rest of my life building things with coils and high quality, beautiful old variable capacitors.
New blog-post -
A Simple One-Chip TRF AM Receiver (aka some ZN414 nostalgia) -
A Simple One-Chip TRF AM Receiver (aka some ZN414 nostalgia) -
A Simple One-Chip TRF AM Receiver
My last project, a Norcal 2N2/20 kit build, which also involved a partial scratch-build of the same circuit, rather took it out of me. As a result, I’ve been revisiting some of the circuits I…
aa7ee.wordpress.com
June 13, 2025 at 1:37 AM
New blog-post -
A Simple One-Chip TRF AM Receiver (aka some ZN414 nostalgia) -
A Simple One-Chip TRF AM Receiver (aka some ZN414 nostalgia) -