Gary @N8DMT
@n8dmt.mastodon.radio.ap.brid.gy
Amateur Radio Extra, Maker, Product developer, Wireless/RF/Antenna guru / electronics consultant, LabVIEW, RTL-SDR, ADALM Pluto, GNU Radio, FCC testing. Location […]
🌉 bridged from https://mastodon.radio/@n8dmt on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/
🌉 bridged from https://mastodon.radio/@n8dmt on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/
Have you noticed that some types of test equipment have gotten much smaller than the rack or half rack width instruments of the past? I am transitioning towards tiny-instruments and downsizing my home lab (having moved multiple times recently). Latest acquisition is a TinyGTC GPSDO timer counter […]
Original post on mastodon.radio
mastodon.radio
December 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Have you noticed that some types of test equipment have gotten much smaller than the rack or half rack width instruments of the past? I am transitioning towards tiny-instruments and downsizing my home lab (having moved multiple times recently). Latest acquisition is a TinyGTC GPSDO timer counter […]
Get going with FreeDV on HF, without fears or tears - The time has come for digital voice on the HF bands by Peter Marks VK3TP. (Found this linked from Peter’s blog on blogs.radio.)
#hamradio
https://www.wia.org.au/members/armag/2025/november/documents/AR%20Issue%206-2026_pp42-48_2.pdf
#hamradio
https://www.wia.org.au/members/armag/2025/november/documents/AR%20Issue%206-2026_pp42-48_2.pdf
December 28, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Get going with FreeDV on HF, without fears or tears - The time has come for digital voice on the HF bands by Peter Marks VK3TP. (Found this linked from Peter’s blog on blogs.radio.)
#hamradio
https://www.wia.org.au/members/armag/2025/november/documents/AR%20Issue%206-2026_pp42-48_2.pdf
#hamradio
https://www.wia.org.au/members/armag/2025/november/documents/AR%20Issue%206-2026_pp42-48_2.pdf
Reposted by Gary @N8DMT
Word cloud for the CHP log as of 12/26/25 0930AM #accidents #traffic
December 26, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Word cloud for the CHP log as of 12/26/25 0930AM #accidents #traffic
First (easy) test of the QB-150 Amps: Does the one with the top installed work? Answer: Yes! Measured 12.6 K Ohm on the power pin to GND. Applied 12.2VDC, measured ~120 mA current draw. Tested with NanoVNA-H4 with 40 dB pad on input side and found it has ~ +24 […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
December 21, 2025 at 9:34 PM
First (easy) test of the QB-150 Amps: Does the one with the top installed work? Answer: Yes! Measured 12.6 K Ohm on the power pin to GND. Applied 12.2VDC, measured ~120 mA current draw. Tested with NanoVNA-H4 with 40 dB pad on input side and found it has ~ +24 […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Reposted by Gary @N8DMT
I'm reading a 1974 issue of _Electronics Design_, and I'm amazed by all the cool new stuff. There are a bunch of things I want to order, but unfortunately they don't give any URLs.
December 21, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I'm reading a 1974 issue of _Electronics Design_, and I'm amazed by all the cool new stuff. There are a bunch of things I want to order, but unfortunately they don't give any URLs.
Repair RF Amplifier Project: With some time off ahead, dug out the box of Q-Bit QB-150 RF amplifiers. Likely these are all toast, but will test and troubleshoot to confirm. (These were pulls from a field HF antenna system that occasionally had lightning […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
December 20, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Repair RF Amplifier Project: With some time off ahead, dug out the box of Q-Bit QB-150 RF amplifiers. Likely these are all toast, but will test and troubleshoot to confirm. (These were pulls from a field HF antenna system that occasionally had lightning […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Slow work day = time for RF fun! Remeasured the Copper Mountain Technologies R54 vector impedance probe output signal characteristics to understand if it always used a fundamental output (or if it relies on harmonics like the NanoVNA-H4). TLDR: the much more […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
December 19, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Slow work day = time for RF fun! Remeasured the Copper Mountain Technologies R54 vector impedance probe output signal characteristics to understand if it always used a fundamental output (or if it relies on harmonics like the NanoVNA-H4). TLDR: the much more […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Home Handyperson: Had a complaint from a family member that they were not feeling well when the dryer was running. Found multiple issues with the vent: 1) clamp was loose, vent pipe had two large slits cut into it that were leaking. Cut off the hack-job, fixed […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
December 13, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Home Handyperson: Had a complaint from a family member that they were not feeling well when the dryer was running. Found multiple issues with the vent: 1) clamp was loose, vent pipe had two large slits cut into it that were leaking. Cut off the hack-job, fixed […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Ten Meters is just opening up here in EN52 Chicagoland, and seeing some single and double hop skip to the southeast. Going to be an interesting day!
#hamradio #10meters #magneticloop
#hamradio #10meters #magneticloop
December 12, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Ten Meters is just opening up here in EN52 Chicagoland, and seeing some single and double hop skip to the southeast. Going to be an interesting day!
#hamradio #10meters #magneticloop
#hamradio #10meters #magneticloop
Made some progress on the low-cost noise figure & gain measurement setup, and have it running pretty well at 440 MHz. Have pages of notes and pictures to put together a how-to post or web page. Still need to check calibration at other frequencies, but […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
December 11, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Made some progress on the low-cost noise figure & gain measurement setup, and have it running pretty well at 440 MHz. Have pages of notes and pictures to put together a how-to post or web page. Still need to check calibration at other frequencies, but […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
#patchtuesday yields #waitwedneday: Started a “how long will it run” test with the BougeRV cooler powered by a new Anker Solix C300X DC power pack. With 12V @ 50W consumed during cool down, the run time estimate is almost 6 hours. With cool down completed, the […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
December 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM
#patchtuesday yields #waitwedneday: Started a “how long will it run” test with the BougeRV cooler powered by a new Anker Solix C300X DC power pack. With 12V @ 50W consumed during cool down, the run time estimate is almost 6 hours. With cool down completed, the […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Finished a first draft for my qsl.net web page documenting a low-cost DIY RF Noise Source suitable for making noise figure measurements under automatic program control (with SATSAGEN software). Still have a few more updates to the web page, but completed […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
December 8, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Finished a first draft for my qsl.net web page documenting a low-cost DIY RF Noise Source suitable for making noise figure measurements under automatic program control (with SATSAGEN software). Still have a few more updates to the web page, but completed […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
US Coast Guard aircraft executing a search just south of Key West Florida. Additional assets joining in now.
December 6, 2025 at 1:22 PM
US Coast Guard aircraft executing a search just south of Key West Florida. Additional assets joining in now.
What is inside a Mini-Circuits ZFL-2000 RF Amplifier? Had a few minutes to take a quick look inside one of these RF Amps. Didn’t learn much, and was surprised to see a fully-cased (pins) amplifier module inside. Would take a lot more effort to disassemble […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
December 5, 2025 at 1:59 PM
What is inside a Mini-Circuits ZFL-2000 RF Amplifier? Had a few minutes to take a quick look inside one of these RF Amps. Didn’t learn much, and was surprised to see a fully-cased (pins) amplifier module inside. Would take a lot more effort to disassemble […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Reposted by Gary @N8DMT
4 General upgrades and 3 new Technicians. Not bad for an after Thanksgiving session. #HamRadio.
November 29, 2025 at 7:57 PM
4 General upgrades and 3 new Technicians. Not bad for an after Thanksgiving session. #HamRadio.
Reposted by Gary @N8DMT
(For those that missed this headline... Anyway, I am middle fingering the economy)
CNBC: Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever and it’s costing the economy
CNBC: Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever and it’s costing the economy
November 28, 2025 at 6:18 PM
(For those that missed this headline... Anyway, I am middle fingering the economy)
CNBC: Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever and it’s costing the economy
CNBC: Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever and it’s costing the economy
Looking over Black Friday announcements from HRO and DX Engineering yields an interesting takeaway: today’s “super-specials” look a lot like last year’s everyday prices for many items. Anyone else seeing this too? #hamradio #blackfriday
November 28, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Looking over Black Friday announcements from HRO and DX Engineering yields an interesting takeaway: today’s “super-specials” look a lot like last year’s everyday prices for many items. Anyone else seeing this too? #hamradio #blackfriday
POTA Questions: If 2 hams activate the same POTA park with each having a 10 band radio station and only contact each other, does this count as a valid activation? (…with logs submitted, etc.) Does a contact on another mode, but same band count as a separate contact? I.e., 10 bands, 2 modes each […]
Original post on mastodon.radio
mastodon.radio
November 23, 2025 at 7:44 PM
POTA Questions: If 2 hams activate the same POTA park with each having a 10 band radio station and only contact each other, does this count as a valid activation? (…with logs submitted, etc.) Does a contact on another mode, but same band count as a separate contact? I.e., 10 bands, 2 modes each […]
November 23, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Gary @N8DMT
Mountain biking for donuts. #BikeTooter
November 23, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Mountain biking for donuts. #BikeTooter
RF equipment setup complete for first low-power 2.4 GHz test using Remote SDR and Pluto SDR. Waiting for the afternoon to find/retrieve the second RaspberryPi-5 computer needed for the second transceiver controller. (Have moved multiple times with re-boxing […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
November 23, 2025 at 3:01 PM
RF equipment setup complete for first low-power 2.4 GHz test using Remote SDR and Pluto SDR. Waiting for the afternoon to find/retrieve the second RaspberryPi-5 computer needed for the second transceiver controller. (Have moved multiple times with re-boxing […]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
[Original post on mastodon.radio]
Reposted by Gary @N8DMT
(don't believe in premonitions, but whatever my brain picked up... it was cheaper to buy some disasters supplies, i.e. beans, rice, olive oil, N95 masks, gloves that doing anything else, and that was it).
November 21, 2025 at 9:33 PM
(don't believe in premonitions, but whatever my brain picked up... it was cheaper to buy some disasters supplies, i.e. beans, rice, olive oil, N95 masks, gloves that doing anything else, and that was it).
Lower cost & performance, but more bands than the ICOM IC-905? Have been exploring how to inexpensively get on VHF/UHF/SHF bands (2m and up) and believe the ADALM Pluto and RaspberryPi5 with Remote SDR SW will support that. Many challenges to achieve all 8 RF bands to 5.9 GHz, but with […]
Original post on mastodon.radio
mastodon.radio
November 21, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Lower cost & performance, but more bands than the ICOM IC-905? Have been exploring how to inexpensively get on VHF/UHF/SHF bands (2m and up) and believe the ADALM Pluto and RaspberryPi5 with Remote SDR SW will support that. Many challenges to achieve all 8 RF bands to 5.9 GHz, but with […]
Gentle Reminder: Looking for a break from the challenges of life in 2025? Check out Blogs.Radio for great reminders that adding a little radio and electronics to your topics list can positively influence your mood. Or at least distract you for a-bit… Hope you enjoy this site as much as I do […]
Original post on mastodon.radio
mastodon.radio
November 18, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Gentle Reminder: Looking for a break from the challenges of life in 2025? Check out Blogs.Radio for great reminders that adding a little radio and electronics to your topics list can positively influence your mood. Or at least distract you for a-bit… Hope you enjoy this site as much as I do […]