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HF NOISE GENERATOR BY AC7AC/N0SS

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Manuel Wilches

HF NOISE GENERATOR BY AC7AC/N0SS

Hello all:
I have built Ron's/Tom's HF Noise Generator inside a business cards plastic
box (hi!)...it looks very uggly and works beautifully! For those of you who,
like myself, have little or no instrumentation, do build the circuit and
align your receiver with it. Its a great solution.
Thank you Ron AC7AC and Tom N0SS
73
Manuel
LU5OM
CT4IK
K2 # 5310

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Don Wilhelm-3

RE: HF NOISE GENERATOR BY AC7AC/N0SS

Proof that one does not have to have a sophisticated array of instruments to
build and peak up things, often easy to build designs will provide a great
aid to your array of tools that are usable.

My list of 'indespensible tools' for your workbench:

1. DMM
2. Good non-reactive Dummy Load
3. RF Probe (the parts for one is provided with every K2 kit)
4. Signal generator (may be just a crystal oscillator - see the K2 manual
Troubleshooting section)
5. Broadband Noise generator (see the N0SS generator - www.n0ss.com)
6. PC with soundcard loaded with Spectrogram.

With these inexpensive tools, one can do a lot of alignment and diagnostic
troubleshooting.

If you wish to get more sophisticated, you can add
100 MHz scope with 10x probes
Frequency counter
Signal Generator(s)
More exotic stuff like Spectrum Analyzers (and Vector Analyzers) are also
good if you do a lot of homebrewing and experimenting.

What I am saying is that a good workbench may be equipped with simple,
inexpensive tools - there are two important points that I would like to add:
1. Know your tools and their limitations, and 2. Use your head along with
knowledge of point 1 when doing analysis. Trust no tool until you know its
capabilities and limitations.

There is a lot of excellent information in the ARRL publication
"Experimental Methods for RF Design" that can be put to use - the authors
indicate how homebrew test equipment can be used to accomplish precision
measurements.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> Hello all:
> I have built Ron's/Tom's HF Noise Generator inside a business
> cards plastic
> box (hi!)...it looks very uggly and works beautifully! For those
> of you who,
> like myself, have little or no instrumentation, do build the circuit and
> align your receiver with it. Its a great solution.
> Thank you Ron AC7AC and Tom N0SS
> 73
> Manuel
> LU5OM
> CT4IK
> K2 # 5310
>
>

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Post to: [hidden email]
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Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
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Manuel Wilches

Re: HF NOISE GENERATOR BY AC7AC/N0SS

Thank you for the list Don!
Your comments are always full of wisdom and practical sense. They are indeed
welcome.
Take care.
73
Manuel
LU5OM
CT4IK

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
To: "Manuel Wilches" <[hidden email]>;
<[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 9:26 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] HF NOISE GENERATOR BY AC7AC/N0SS

> Proof that one does not have to have a sophisticated array of instruments
> to
> build and peak up things, often easy to build designs will provide a great
> aid to your array of tools that are usable.
>
> My list of 'indespensible tools' for your workbench:
>
> 1. DMM
> 2. Good non-reactive Dummy Load
> 3. RF Probe (the parts for one is provided with every K2 kit)
> 4. Signal generator (may be just a crystal oscillator - see the K2 manual
> Troubleshooting section)
> 5. Broadband Noise generator (see the N0SS generator - www.n0ss.com)
> 6. PC with soundcard loaded with Spectrogram.
>
> With these inexpensive tools, one can do a lot of alignment and diagnostic
> troubleshooting.
>
> If you wish to get more sophisticated, you can add
> 100 MHz scope with 10x probes
> Frequency counter
> Signal Generator(s)
> More exotic stuff like Spectrum Analyzers (and Vector Analyzers) are also
> good if you do a lot of homebrewing and experimenting.
>
> What I am saying is that a good workbench may be equipped with simple,
> inexpensive tools - there are two important points that I would like to
> add:
> 1. Know your tools and their limitations, and 2. Use your head along with
> knowledge of point 1 when doing analysis. Trust no tool until you know
> its
> capabilities and limitations.
>
> There is a lot of excellent information in the ARRL publication
> "Experimental Methods for RF Design" that can be put to use - the authors
> indicate how homebrew test equipment can be used to accomplish precision
> measurements.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>
>> Hello all:
>> I have built Ron's/Tom's HF Noise Generator inside a business
>> cards plastic
>> box (hi!)...it looks very uggly and works beautifully! For those
>> of you who,
>> like myself, have little or no instrumentation, do build the circuit and
>> align your receiver with it. Its a great solution.
>> Thank you Ron AC7AC and Tom N0SS
>> 73
>> Manuel
>> LU5OM
>> CT4IK
>> K2 # 5310
>>
>>
>

Roland Whitsitt

Re: HF NOISE GENERATOR BY AC7AC/N0SS

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-3

You know, I still don't get it. I haven't been able to comprehend what
really goes on inside even a simple pixie curcuit. And the math eludes me
keeping me from getting my extra class. I've missed a lot of rare DX
because I am not allowed down in that portion of the band. I know good and
well that I only "assembled" the k2 being lead gently by the hand of many
amateurs. And yet, because of that first terrible pixie II, then the very
successfull rockmite, then finally the k2 and many other little kits and
still more on the way, something got started. And everytime I look at that
k2, I have to smile. What an awsome rig. At least I can follow
instructions! hi hi And I'm having a blast. I don't understand a lot of
things going on here, but I did learn a whole lot. The fog did lift a
little bit. I hope the more I get into this, the clearer things will
become.
73's de n5vwn
Roland in Stockton
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
To: "Manuel Wilches" <[hidden email]>;
<[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 5:26 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] HF NOISE GENERATOR BY AC7AC/N0SS