CB and Ham Radio Techs Love Their Bird Wattmeters

[bd139]

Saw someone buying a bird load today at the hamfest. He didn't realise until after he bought it that it had some really weird connector that no one knew what it was. It was an N connector 

[xrunner]

No one knew what an N connector was?

[vk6zgo]

Similarly, both you & xrunner tend to take any contrary comments as personal affronts!
..
Most of my "circle" as far as one exists, is made up of old farts who are either still involved with Electronics in some form or the other, or retired from that field.

My guess is that is more your perception than anything.  After a career in broadcast, I would imagine within your inner circle of fellow hams you are still regarded high in the tech ranks.  On the internet, you have a much more diverse group.

I am also fairly well respected by the many non-hams  from the quite large number of technical people I worked with over the years, just as I respect them.
At my age, it is enough that, rightly or wrongly, no one seems to regard me as a buffoon.

That said, if I had an SA, I would also probably not worry about a meter.

I am sure you wouldn't.  As I have stated many times on this forum, electronics is one of my hobbies.  I dare say that the majority of my efforts are purely for my own enjoyment.  Using the tools I have to make other tools is the norm.

[joeqsmith]

I am also fairly well respected by the many non-hams  from the quite large number of technical people I worked with over the years, just as I respect them.
At my age, it is enough that, rightly or wrongly, no one seems to regard me as a buffoon.

As I said, small circle.   I judge people by what they bring to the table. 

[joeqsmith]

Saw someone buying a bird load today at the hamfest. He didn't realise until after he bought it that it had some really weird connector that no one knew what it was. It was an N connector 

You should have captured  that moment with the cell phone.   It would make for a funny YT shorts.    If they were old hams, even better.      

I had been testing one of the 8310 cheap boards and was pleased it behaved as expected.  I tried the second board and it appears to have a problem (see attached).  That Brymen BM869s DMM has what many describe as a worthless 500,000 count mode.  The supply is stable but I can watch the output shift with the meter.   Obviously I had shown data for the DAS prior.  I took a quick glance under the microscope and did not notice a solder problem.  The low frequency caps need to be changed so I will have a closer look at see if we have a cracked part.  Odd.     

[joeqsmith]

Looking at the board closer, I saw no problems and it is starting to look like the IC.   You can see the steps are roughly 500uV.   

Do you see this same shift with your boards?

[xrunner]

Looking at the board closer, I saw no problems and it is starting to look like the IC.   You can see the steps are roughly 500uV.   

Do you see this same shift with your boards?

So the trace from one board is white and the other yellow. OK let me get back to you on it ...

[joeqsmith]

    It's firmware   

[xrunner]

  It's firmware   

Oh. 

[bd139]

It’s always the software guys fault 

[joeqsmith]

Or hardware.... I haven't found the problem yet....     I had removed the boards and the problem was still there.   I had been mucking with the firmware and assume this is the problem but not certain yet.   

While the boards were out, I replaced the two SMAs with a little higher quality parts.   

[joeqsmith]

Using the RF generator,  splitter and step attenuator to put it through its paces.  AM modulation because people like AM.... 

[xrunner]

So far so good - I'm all in. 

[joeqsmith]

Dog chasing its tail...

So when I had posted I had removed the board and it had no effect, I didn't actually remove the board but removed a series resistor with it's output.  As it turns out, I had missed cutting the trace under that part so the board was still connected.  Once cut, the channel settled down.  Makes sense why it was so stable with the reference.  I then tested the two 8310s outside the box and indeed one has this shift while the other does not.    It is more pronounced at higher levels.   I was going to order parts from Digi-key but no stock (of course).   

[joeqsmith]

Heating up one of the mismatched loads (150 ohm carbon).   Not impressed with that step.   

[joeqsmith]

Using the 50ohm carbon.   Zoomed in after the temperature started to settle. 

[joeqsmith]

I've made a few cases from PCB material.   They never have a real clean look to them.  Works well enough even with the suspect part that I painted the top cover and mounted the power switch as will as the LED indicator.   That LED holder was from Radio Shack.   Ordered up some of those assorted 18650 battery holders and a replacement AD8310.

[Mark19960]

Saw someone buying a bird load today at the hamfest. He didn't realise until after he bought it that it had some really weird connector that no one knew what it was. It was an N connector 

You should have captured  that moment with the cell phone.   It would make for a funny YT shorts.    If they were old hams, even better.      

I like to use N connectors instead of PL259s for HF.
I get some strange looks from CBers and even stranger comments when they see them.

You know ... those "ham radio" connectors don't work for CB.... you need to use a PL259 or your SWR's are going to be high!
(yes, SWR's - with the s and apostrophe)
 

[xrunner]

Few years ago we had a new ham get on 2 meters. He heard us talking about coax and how you want the lowest loss coax you can afford. So he wanted to improve his antenna and get new coax. He looked up specs and ordered 100 feet of LMR-600. When he got it he knew he hadn't considered all the specs. LMR-600 is great coax except it's very thick and like trying to get a frozen garden hose through your attic. But he didn't want to admit what he got and somehow he got it all ran to his antenna. But later he did tell us and laughed about it. He said it almost killed him running it through the attic. Hey he has a great low-loss run of coax.

Just gathering parts for the second version. I recreated the mounting plate for the microcontroller board in Fusion 360, replacing the one somebody made in Tinkercad. What you see is just a vertically scaled down sample for test fitting. I plan on adding the mounting area for the AD8310 board this time higher up so I can get to the SMA easier.

I dunno - maybe all I need to do is draw pictures of the project and just claim it works. That seems to be the go-to path from what I'm seeing posted on this forum lately. 

I need to hook up the second board and check to see if it marches the first one (or how well it does match). Working on some other ideas too no rush. The red LED is a go. 

[joeqsmith]

I noticed while listening to so many ham & CB YT videos, there were a few that  use "swars"  or "swers".   I never heard that term before.  Then again, I never knew what a pill was. 

Try running those two boards at a couple of volts out and see if you get a shift.  I know, boy who cried wolf.....   

[xrunner]

Another ham term we used to knock people about was "73s". In ham language "73" means "best regards".

But people would say "see you later seventy-threes".

73s? 

"73" means "best regards" so 73s would mean "best regardses" 

[joeqsmith]

After not sending code for 40 or so years, 73 is one thing that gets hard wired into the brain.   

https://youtu.be/QBho9XD7VPQ?t=170

[joeqsmith]

Get that Standing Wave Radio tuned in..

https://youtu.be/X5M_cD1vWRo?t=28

***

No luck in my search of SWRs but learned about "sad hams"   

https://youtu.be/ZQnW_MBVf2c?t=695

[xrunner]

After not sending code for 40 or so years, 73 is one thing that gets hard wired into the brain.   

CW keys for continuity tests and tuning forks to turn switches - that's thinking outside the box. Man that UNI-T meter does have fast continuity. Using old ham gear for testing is a good idea. I've got so much gathering dust it gives me a new direction to go with it. Better not throw it out yet. 

[vk6zgo]

Another ham term we used to knock people about was "73s". In ham language "73" means "best regards".

But people would say "see you later seventy-threes".

73s? 

"73" means "best regards" so 73s would mean "best regardses" 

Not much different to people referring to "ATM machines"------"Automatic teller machine machines".