The $10 Component Tester

Earlier in the year one of the ham club members turned up with a component tester he had discovered on the internet and built up. The device measures essentially any component you connect on it and tells you what you have. From a simple resistor to a capacitor, diode or even a transistor. the specs…

Max Howden Crystals

I was sent this photo the other week from someone who had removed these Max Howden crystals from an old radio. An Interesting crystal holder, Max ran this company in the 1970’s and his son continued the business into the 1980’s I’m informed. Another piece of the A3BQ / VK3BQ callsign history.  

Spring VHF/UHF Field Day 2014 VK3ER

As normal, the EMDRC club station VK3ER/P headed to our normal contest location at Mclaughlins Lookout in the wombat state forest for the SpringVHF/UHF field day 2014. The team for Spring consisted of our normal operators. Peter, Mike Jonas and Jack, we had help from Greg and Michael, and I was able to assist for for the…

Sota Activation – VK3/VU-009 Mt Ida

Earlier in the week, I had a job near Echuca. We had to deploy a portable mobile phone tower for an event my company was hosting. With that job done, I had some other work in and around the district to undertake, on the way home, i was driving through the central victorian town of…

3D printed FT817 Stand

This whole 3D printer thing is very impressive, one of my local ham club members recently purchased his own device and he has been showing off creations. I continue to want one, but it seems the bank manager (wifey) does not agree they are a important ham radio shack tool! Ive been looking at whats…

Sota Activation – VK3/VC-031 Arthurs Seat

I headed down the Mornington peninsular the other day with a job and managed to fit in a short activation on Arthurs Seat VK3/VC-031in the afternoon before heading home. The summit is very accessible, and I drove to the top, then grabbed my gear and walked down the Arthurs seat circuit walking track path, past…