PCB Solder Jumpers - Cont'd

With the success of my previous PA-47 project, I feel like blogging again.

Previously, I proposed a Solder Jumper Pad Footprint for my future projects (see previous post). One of those was used on the PA-47 Amplifier. The manufacture did not have any problems creating the pads, as shown.

Solder Jumper - 0703

The overlapping hooks of the jumper pattern makes for easy filling with solder, and then with some Solder Wick, it was just as easy to re-open.

Solder Jumper - with Solder

I may need to create a larger jumper pad set for larger traces, as shown the traces between pads are 16 mils. For reference, the copper pour ground grid is made with 6 mil traces.

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A Personal Note: This post is a milestone for me, it is my 100th post for the year, which is more than any previous year, and far more than I would have expected when I started in 2009.

I suggest everyone start a Blog. It is very enjoyable and you will meet and network with many interesting people. I would also suggest you encourage your kids to blog (ether privately or publicly) about topics that interest them. Kids with learning-disabilities should start ASAP, even if they only write one line of text each day - they WILL see progress. Because they will blog about topics of their interest, and because they are the expert of their activities, it will be an easy task. They may not be a potential Doogie Howsers, but blogging will help collect ones thoughts. In the TV show plot, Doogie was a great Blogger.

Actually, my blogs are not for me, not for you, nor any of my current readers, my blogs are for my Great-Great-Grand-Children - it is a way to communicate with them of my ideas, interests, and thoughts. I would have loved to have found letters (or blogs) written by my Grand Parents, or their Parents.   Sadly, I only know the names of six generations of Fathers, and very little else.

Do your part - Create a Blog!

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Blog Photos Drop-Shadows

For as long as I have been writing web pages, I have always wanted a easy-to-use Drop-Shadow routine for my included images and photos. I had considered modifying the photos to include the shadow, but that pollutes the photo archives for other uses. Also, modifying the photos means that any photo downloaded or expanded (into another window), would unnecessary contain the included shadow.

Thanks to a Google Search, . . . I finally found a solution!

It is a simple CSS Snippet that is easily included in my Blog Template, and it can also be used with other web pages with style sheets.

 An Example of an Image Frame Drop-Shadow

I am pleased with the results, it makes the photos stand out. But, I hope viewers do not find the Drop-Shadows distracting.

With Blogger it is simple to add (or override) the current Blog Template. Image Drop-Shadows can be added via the following snippet. Note, the Current Blog Template stays intact, with no modification necessary.

Design --> Blogger Template Designer --> Advanced --> Add CSS

.post img {
-moz-border-radius: 6px;
-webkit-border-radius: 6px;
-goog-ms-border-radius: 6px;
border-radius: 6px;
-moz-box-shadow: 6px 4px 8px #A0A0B0;
-webkit-box-shadow: 6px 4px 8px #A0A0B0;
-goog-ms-box-shadow: 6px 4px 8px #A0A0B0;
box-shadow: 6px 4px 8px #A0A0B0;
margin-right: 12px;
margin-bottom: 4px;
padding: 0px;
}

For this blog, the above overrides the current ".post img" style for each image or photo of the posts. A simple edit allows it to be added, removed, or modified as I see fit.

I hope others will also find this useful.


UPDATE:
Apparently this does not work for Internet Explorer, I will have to continue research.

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BlogBooker

For several years I have been wanting to print a copy of my complete blog with photos, in the natural chronological order (oldest post first).

When first investigating the possibility, it seemed difficult and/or expensive. Some available services will format and print a hard cover book if requested (eg, Blog2Print). Maybe someday I will use their services.

But, for now, I just need a simple hard copy.

Today I found "BlogBooker", which does the task online for Free (the service is supported by user donations). The results are good, even though some useful text formating was lost. For example, some blanks lines between paragraphs were lost. But, the results are very acceptable for my current use.

The output is a saved PDF.

This info is archived here for later use.

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UPDATE
It appears Blog2Print can be used to print anyone's blog, while BlogBooker can only be used by the author.

Blog2Print only requires the Blog URL, and some optional formatting, binding, and time span parameters, to produce the output. Hardbound books are available, and for a much lesser price soft copy PDF are available.

BlogBooker requires access to an exported XML file of the Blog. I assuming only the author of the Blog has access to the required exported file.

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Macro Lens

In recent months all of by Blogged photos have been taken with my HTC Droid Phone Camera. But it is lacking a little for the small project that I enjoy. Very close-up photos can not be taken with the standard (almost pin hole) style of lens.

I found on eBay a Magnetic stick on Macro Adapter for phone cameras. If you search on ebay, the same lens can also be purchased for less than $10.00 (with shipping) . I decided to give it a try.

The lens comes with a Sticky Back Metal Ring which is placed on the phone camera. The lens has a similar strong magnetic ring that make it easy to attach/remove to/from the camera. When installed, the lens stick out about 1/2 inch.

The following are some of my initial test photos. The shooting stage is a paper towel backdrop on my bench, and the lighting was supplied via overhead florescent tube fixtures about 3 feet away. I think more light from each side would make for better results - I will have to work on that.

This new photo is of a previous (failed) Audio Amplifier project. The macro lens distorts the image a bit, and the near focus (depth of field) could be better, but it was not obvious there was a problem when I took the photo, the camera was trying to auto focus and does not always get it right.

This is a photo of my attempt to create the smallest traces that I could with the Toner Transfer Method. This coil and variable capacitor resonates at 10.14MHz. This photo is planer and therefore did not distorted.

The next photo is of my very early attempts to use solder paste and oven re-flow soldering, the board 1 x 1/2 inches.  This board has been stored with other examples for a long time. Under close full photo inspection, it is obvious the solder paste has flattened and now would short-out if used.

Click on the images, to see the raw camera image detail and photo size.

And of course, this is a test photo of my Partner in all my adventures, Tess my Dog, she is on the work bench next to the computer (Macro not necessary here). She would rather we be outside playing ball.

Tess

(5 years old)

It will be fun trying different staging and light set-ups for the photos.

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The New Look

Google Blogspot has provided new customizable Templates for Bloggers.

This is my first attempt to change the look of my blog since my original selection. So far, I have tried to keep it simple and consistent.

The main reason that I wanted to try this change was it provides for wider text space and I like the star field in the background.

Some tweak may be necessary to get the colors right, but this is it for now.

So how do you like the New Look?

It is interesting, the old style is gone, as the New Style Template is used for the entire blog - as it should be, but that means new viewers can not compare the Old with the New.

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To My Friends and WEB Family

For the last year or so, I have immersed myself in HAM Radio, Electronic Projects and WEB Blogs, all the while working through a messy divorce of 42 years. My projects have provided relief from an otherwise mind numbing and gut wrenching process.

Because this blog is an extension of my coping efforts, I feel that I owe my Friends and WEB Family some details:

After more than a year of attempts for settlement, on Dec 29, 2009, my Wife and I went to Asset Division Mediation.  The Mediator, an ex Judge, was fair, impartial and the resulting division of our assets was finally mutually acceptable.  All should be finalised within the month, I am not bitter, I wish my Wife well.

For me, the big change is that I will no longer call "The Ranch and my Shop" - home.  I have 120 days to vacate. I have other assigned property where I will set up a small Work Shop, and I plan to live on our my Boat at a local Marina.

For the next 120 day I will be very busy moving, and therefore will not have time to add much to this blog (but, I will continue to read others).

Soon, it will all be over, and maybe after this transition period, I will have time to again enjoy HAM Radio, Electronic Projects and continue my blog.

This year should be much, much better, than the last.

Thanks for Listening.

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Editing my Blog

I am sure glad it is easy to edit posts on blogspot.com, I make many mistakes and after the initial post and while re-reading them, I normally edit each one about ten times before feeling it's finished. More often than not, I forget word suffixes like "ed" or "s" and make other spelling or grammar mistakes - "Spell Check" is a Blessing and a Curse!

I know, I am not the best writer and not as polished as I should be, but I think "scrambled thoughts on paper" are much better than "untested, polished thoughts only in your head". 

I am kind of wondering what "viewers" like you see when this blog keeps changes with my edits?

For some of my posts, I have intentionally made modifications as Addendums or UPDATEs, as more information is known about a project. Other times I just Link to the original post in a new a new one - that is, If much more information is needed or the information feels like is goes in another directions.

I hope all of this free-form does not confuse anyone.

I have to remember that this blog was original just notes to myself and a place to keep associated project Links. If others find this useful - so much the better! So far, the Cluster Map suggest about 700 "viewers" have at least looked at this site since July 2009, and I have received a lot of e-mail about my projects - Thanks, I did not expect that!

The lesson learned - I think ever person should have a blog on which to post things that interest them, there are many blog space providers - and it is much simpler than you think.

Note: This simple post has already been edited about ten  sixteen times.

Setting Up this Blog

I worked a lot of the day on setting up this Blog, something that I have been planning to do for a long time. I am surprised how easy it is setting up a blog with Google's blogspot.com . Somethings are much different than I would like, that is because, only set of standard templates can be used - but it is free!

Thanks Google!

Using email to post to the blog is very easy (as with this post), the only thing I have to do is create the post (with photos as necessary) in a mail client with a subjuect line (the title) and mail it to a secret email address "your_login.somesecret @ blogger.com". It could not be easier!

Google's blogspot allows you to have more than one blog, in my case; one for my Amateur Radio stuff, and one for my Ranch blog.

Now all I have to do is, try to keep them up-to-date.

Note: if you make a mistake, you can edit your posts online.

Initial Post

I decided to start a blog of my station activities, somewhat of a blog or notes to and for myself.

My current on the air projects include:

• MEPT QRSS Grabber, via ARGO
  
• WSPR
• PropNet

All of these are running on the computer at the same time, driving the mic input of a ICOM-730 and the antenna is a 1/4 wave 30m Vertical.

My plan is to put up a Field Day Special (FDSP) antenna on 30m, with a 30 degree heading to try to work into Europe. I have purchased the 300 ohm feed line but I am having trouble using the "fdsp.exe" program to find an optom cut and size of the antenna.