Photos - KZN Amateur Radio Event: ZS5 HAMFEST 29 April 2023!!

 

 

 

Images - Click on images for larger view. 

-  ZS5 Hamfest Organising Committee

DIY Trombone " Beer Can" Capacitor for your Magnetic Loop Antenna Project by Christi ZS4CGR (Part 1)

Sometimes when you need a component, the best way to get it is by building it yourself.  Christi Grobbelaar ZS4CGR did just that, creating his own trombone-style variable capacitor by using full  aluminium beer cans.   The cans must be full of bear otherwise there will be no capacitance.  Hi Hi!!  (Just a joke.  The cans must be empty!  Important Note:  You are not allowed to empty the cans while building the capacitor!)

Christi is working up a design for a magnetic loop antenna with this Beer Can Trombone-style variable capacitor.  

The images below give a full overview of the build.

More on this project in a future posting on this Blog. 

Images (Click on images for larger view.)

Adding Bluetooth to the Xiego G90 Transceiver - By Christi ZS4CGR

 

Christi ZS4CGR explain in afrikaans how he added the Bluetooth function/setup to his Xiegu G90 Transceiver.  Thank you very much Christi.  I am sure that other Xiegu users will find it very interesting.

What is in the Box?

 

"What is in the Box?"   I do not like to publish every single electronic item I bought or receive.  However it seems that this is quite a popular topic and that readers would like to see more of these posts.  Please note that I do not publish these to brag or boast about but purely out of interest to readers.  Furthermore I do not get paid to talk, review or publish items of manufacturers. 

Items:

• 40 x 25mm  Jewellers Loupe Magnifier Magnifying Eye Glass
• 1 x SanDisk Ultra  64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive
• 2 x Sandisk Ultra 32GB MicroSDHC Card

What do I have in mind for the above modules? 

Jewellers Loupe Magnifier

Well I would not have bought this little gem if I have not "lost" my old plastic double lens magnifier.  I n searched everywhere but cannot find the old magnifier.  I visited local Asian shops but did not find something suitable.  An online emporium advertised this 40 x 25mm  Jewellers Loupe.  I had to rely on some pictures and reviews about the quality and effectiveness of this magnifier.  This is really a gem and it functions very well.  At some stage I will do a video review. So look out for this one.

SanDisk Ultra  64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive

To be used as a backup drive for the GRHub Network AllStar firmware.

2 x Sandisk Ultra 32GB MicroSDHC Card

Both will be used for future Raspberry Pi Projects.  Look out for these projects to be published on this Blog.

 

 Click on images for larger view.

 

 

ZS1I Simple Small Projects: 220v Pilot Light - Eskom Loadshedding

GENERAL WARNING: Never undertake a DIY electrical task or any other modification to you home if you're not qualified/certified to work on home electricity systems or when your home is insured. Always contact your insurance company and discuss your undertaking with the company. If you do not you will find out the hard way that the company will not cover you house or property if a disaster of some kind occurs. Ensure that you obtain the necessary permission and any certificates required. You have been warned!!

Disclaimer: The project discussed under this topic uses lethal AC voltages and should not be attempted by those who are not properly experienced. Proper safety precautions must be adhere to at all times. I will not be held responsible for your actions. Use at own risk.  

Once again a very simple project to indicate when power is restored after a loadshedding period by Eskom or a normal power outage.  My YL insisted that I come up with a power indicator. Some might say but this is really a stupid idea to publish such simple projects.  To those I say they must remember that we are not all electrical- or electronic engineers!  

I trust that this project might be of some use to all the loadshedding sufferers out there.

Parts required:

1. 2 x 40mm PVC End Caps
2. 1 x 6cm length of 40mm PVC Pipe
3. 1 x 6mm Rubber Grommet
4. 2 x Cable Ties
5. 1 x 40mm PVC Pipe Clamp-on bracket
6. Length of 2 core Power Cable with plug
   
7. 1 x 220V AC 22 mm Red or Green Pilot Light

Build:

I am not going to describe the build here as the images explain the build.

Use:

Just plug the unit into a power socket and as soon as the power returns the pilot light will be illuminated.  If it does not then power has not yet returned.

Photos:

 

(Click on images for larger view.)

PS - Need to tidy the wires above the rack!

"Lippeklap" Net Sondag 9 April 2023 15h30:

DIT IS AMPER WEER LIPPEKLAP TYD!!!!

Dit is vanmiddag 9/4/2023 om 15h30 weer “Lippeklap” tyd. Daar is geen spesifieke onderwerp vir bespreking nie, gevolglik is dit ' n Ope Net. Kom vertel vir ons wat het jy die week in Amateur Radio gedoen nie gedoen nie. Met 'n oplewing in die Suid Kaap gedurende die paasnaweek glo ek daar is baie om te vertel. Kom deel jou ervaringe met ons op Lippeklap.

Hoe skakel ek in by die Net?

 

• Echolink - Konnekteer aan ZS1I-L, ZS1FC-L, ZS6WDL-R of ZS5PMB-R Neem kennis as die laaste drie stasies nie gekonnekteer is aan ZS1I-L nie, konnekteer dan via Echolink aan ZS1I-L om by die net aan te sluit.

• AllStar - Konnekteer aan node 49355 ZS1I of 28052 ZS5PMB-R

• VHF - 145.550 Mhz Simplex in die Mosselbaai area. Onthou die 88.5 khz CTCSS toon.

• Enige ander Echolink, AllStar herhaler of link stasie wat aan ZS1I-L gekoppel is.

• Gebruik sommer Echolink wat op jou selfoon geinstalleer is.

Sluit gerus by die Lippeklap Net aan vanmiddag om 15h30 SAST.

 

There is still bargains out there, you only need to find them!!

I regularly visit a few emporiums to search for some bargains to be had.  Buying radio-, electronic equipment and household items new are getting very expensive.  However in the second hand trade there is still some bargains out there, you only need to find them.   The past two days I have been prowling for some bargains.  I ran into a few items but did not find any radio equipment, like the last time.  Well here is a few of the items I picked up:

Above:  HUAWEI LTE Modem/Router using SIM card  R290.00

Above:  220v Aluminium Cooling Fans  R10.00 Each

Above:  6 x 50mm PVC Couplers  R5.00 Each

What will I be using the items for?

The Huawei will be used with the Digital Repeater soon to be installed in the Mossel Bay area.

The fans will be used to keep the air flowing over this years biltong.

The couplers will be used to build a ring antenna as described by Christi ZS4CGR  HERE.

Echolink connection issues 2 April 2023 - GRHub Network, Mossel Bay

 

I would like to apologize for the break in transmission this morning on the GRHub Network, Mossel Bay.  Several Echolink dropouts were experienced this morning relating to the following broadcasts:

• During the Afrikaans SARL Bulletin
• During the Pretoria Amateur Radio Bulletin
• During the Amateur Radio Today Broadcast

All indications are that Echolink would just dropout where-after it takes quite a while to re-establish a connection.  I do not have any explanation or indication what caused the dropouts.  All time out timers are disconnected and no changes were made to any settings.  Pure speculation:

• Intenet connection lost
• Power outages
• Other technical issues.

Well let's hope that Murphy has moved on and that there are no more technical issues.