Now you would ask why modify a cheap led light for loadshedding when you can buy various models at relative cheap prices? My grandson had four cheap (R34.00 each) led lights that were discarded, due to the cost of having to replace the batteries on a regular basis. I looked at one of the lights and realized that I could modify the light to use one 16850 lithium battery, which can be recharged. I used one salvaged battery from an old laptop. The only cost was to buy a 16850 plastic one battery holder for R18.00 from a local Asian shop. The mod is quite simple. Just cut the blue as well as red wire from the battery compartment. The blue wire is soldered to the black wire on the 16850 battery holder and the red wire to the red wire on the 16850 battery holder. I drilled two small holes on either side of the LED light, one for the black wire and the other for the red wire coming from the 16850 battery holder. The holder is fixed to the LED light case using double sided adhesive tape. Simple easy mod, yet much more cost effective with a bonus that you can recharge the battery via a small solar panel charger. No need to buy batteries anymore. This LED light has many uses, indoors and outdoors. This light provides more than adequate (360 degrees) light to illuminate a medium to small room. The other three lights were also modified and are now in use again. Simple cheap and very useful project. Total cost of project: R20.00.
Image: Thanks to Steve Dunbar K1GMM (Website: HERE and HERE Lots of information on audio, equipment, setup etc.)
Audio quality in amateur radio is in my opinion one of the most important factors when operating your amateur radio station. Yes and audio is not the only aspect that makes for a "great" amateur radio station. First of I am not an audio expert and has no formal training in this regard. Through the years I played around on the cheap in constructing my own microphones (HF/VHF/VOIP etc.) that sounds far better than some of the custom made ones available today. Gone are those days of constructing my own as my eyesight does not allow it anymore.
Well bad eyesight does not leave me in the cold today. Today I spend some money to obtain I would say fairly good audio on VHF/Echolink/AllStar and I am going to share a few pieces of equipment to make that possible. In Part 1 we will be looking at a budget (entry level) audio setup for Echolink and AllStar. In a later post we will be looking at a good audio setup for VHF/UHF radios.
Before I continue just a word of warning. I am not responsible for any modifications you make to your radio equipment as a result of what I will publish here. You make any mods or changes at your own risk. Please do not let this warning deter you from experimenting with audio and different audio equipment. You will be surprised at the outcome!
Can I use a cheap electret microphone, those they sell for ZOOM, SKYPE and other computer uses for Echolink / AllStar?
Yes, but do not expect decent audio from these microphones and the built in sound card of your computer or laptop. I have found that many computers that radio amateurs use in their shack is not of a very "high" standard and high standard does not mean you will have good audio either. For a general run-about microphone it might do the trick for normal use but not for amateur radio usage. Many of these simple and cheap microphone sets and sound cards really has bad audio qualities if you add your voice to the mix. You need a microphone that will also "suite" you voice. Some of us have loud- and others have soft voices. I am not going to go in to much detail here about high's and low's and other audio factors. The reason it might be boring and as I know radio amateurs just want something that works out of the box and not a comprehensive explanation on how it works. Neither would they like to read a 65 page manual to get the best out of the equipment.
Now for those who look for a quick solution without having to fork out hundreds of dollars. HERE (Treat yourself to a fairly good budget microphone for Echolink, AllStar and other general audio applications?) is one microphone that served me well through the years on VOIP / Echolink /Allstar. This microphone is a condenser type microphone with a USB connector and not a Dynamic microphone with a SLR connector that needs Phantom power to work. Just ensure that you use a good sound card with the microphone. I recommend the SYBA External USB Stereo Sound Adapter (C Media CM119) More info about the Syba available HERE.
The microphone described in the link and USB sound card will provide far better audio than those cheap plastic computer microphones. This microphone is a condenser type microphone with a USB connector. It install its own driver the moment you plug in into your computer. I do however advise that you use two clip on ferrite beads to reduce USB noise that might be present on the microphone line.
Now lets look at a few items that provides better audio quality and looks more like a studio setup. This setup is more expensive but has better audio quality with a very low noise factor.
The first item that we will be looking at is the Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 USB Audio Interface with MIDAS Mic Preamplifier. Yes I know there are far better audio interfaces on the market but once again we are looking at the price of such models and is it really necessary to purchase a more expensive unit for amateur radio. I am more than satisfied with my UMC22 which did not break the bank and was bought from the money I received from old and "redundant" equipment I sold. Yes I am a pensioner and I cannot just buy amateur radio equipment when I want. All my equipment I possess was bought from "Junk" electronic equipment I sold or other amateur equipment I do not need anymore.
Let's continue. One thing to take note of is that when you first plug in the UMC22, Windows will load the driver for you. This is not what I wanted. I wanted the original Behringer drivers for this unit. Now this is where you might run into a few problems. If you search for drivers for the UMC22 you will run into the Asio4All drivers. Nothing wrong with these drivers but as already stated I wanted the stock drivers for the unit. I eventually found a link to the original Behringer drivers, uploaded them and I was ready for action. More information on the UMC22 available HERE.
Now the second item you will need is a budget microphone package from Neewer. I decided to purchase the Neewer NW-800 Professional Studio Broadcasting Recording Condenser
Microphone & NW-35 Adjustable Recording Microphone Suspension
Scissor Arm Stand with Shock Mount and Mounting Clamp Kit a few years ago.
About this item
The Set Includes: (1) Condenser Microphone, (1)Adjustable Suspension Scissor Arm Stand, (1)Table Mounting Clamp, (1)Metal Shock Mount, (1)Pop Filter, (1)Ball-type Anti-wind Foam Cap, (1)3.5mm Male to XLR Female Cable. NOTE: Sound Card, 48V Phantom Power, 1/4" to XLR Cable & XLR to XLR Cable needed additionally; The Behringer audio interface with phantom power is used with the package. A 48V phantom power adapter is essential for the Behringer UMC22.
The "professional" condenser microphone capture rich, full-bodied sound from sources that are directly in front of the mic. The cardioid pick-up pattern minimizes background noise and isolates the main sound source.
The adjustable scissor arm stand is made out of all steel construction, sturdy and durable. Folding type, convenient to carry. Can be mounted on the announcers' table. The double-braced arms add strength. *Max load: Approx 1KG*
The microphone wind screen pop filter banish the dreaded hissing and lisping sounds.
The metal shock mount features an angle adjustment with locking knob and can effectively reduce handling noise. The ball-type anti-wind foam cap can protect microphone against wind interference and singers' spit. The microphone can not be used with a mobile phone or tablet.
Well there you have it, two budget packages to enhance your audio quality on Echolink / AllStar and even ZOOM. This is surely not the ultimate setup but we are looking at a budget setup here. I have both the two packages mentioned here and are more than happy with their performance. I still have a Behringer 1202 Mixer that I must add to my current installation. I will in a future post provide more detail on how I incorporated the mixer to various other systems which will enable me to add other VOIP and audio setups. More on this in a future posting.
Herewith an audio file recording for the Neewer NW-800 Microphone using the Behringer UMC22 Interface:
Herewith an audio file recording for the FiFi K669B Microphone using only the computer USB port:
Finally: The above is just two options that I currently use. I must mention that both these two microphones and Behringer UMC22 interface might not suite your needs, voice or audio setup. It is best to test a microphone to see if it is compatible with your voice unless you are going to use a mixer or post processing to alter the audio you recorded. Both the above clips were recorded live and no post processing was done at all. What you listened to is raw audio with no alteration except to set the audio gain on each setup before recording. One thing that is quite noticeable is the fact that the Neewer NW-800 microphone has a very "sharp" audio that might not suite my voice when recording raw. On the other hand the Neewer has far less "noise" when no audio is present. The FiFi K669B microphone on the other hand has a more mellow audio that is more suited to my voice when recording raw. The down side is that it has more noise (USB) when no audio is present. Sure this can be changed in future. I am not disappointed in purchasing any of the two microphones discussed here. Lookout for future reviews of low budget microphones with acceptably audio quality on Echolink / AllStar / VHF / HF etc.
Videos:
How Good is this Budget USB Mic? (Fifine K669B)
Bought The Least Expensive Microphone (Neewer NW-800)
I decided to purchase 2 x 5V 8A Power Supply step-down 4 Port USB output modules to provide power to the above projects.
I also ordered two small cabinets for the units to install the power supplies.
Upon arrival I decided to look for a 3d printed case for easily holding the 4 way USB chargers. This will save time as I do not have to modify the two small cabinets I ordered to make fit the chargers. Low and behold I found a 3d printed case for these units. I printed two cases. The units fitted perfectly in the printed cases. It has one hole to secure the PCB to the case. Normally I use nylon M4 bolts and nuts but having run out of stock I needed another plan. A metal nut and bolt can be used but I prefer the nylon type. Another search on the internet and I found 3d printed rivets (3mm x 10mm), just what the doctor ordered. I printed 4 rivets and then melted the end with a soldering iron to keep the PCB in place. See images for this brilliant solution. Okay enough typing. The images underneath will do all the talking from now on. A big thank you to ibyte8bits and tudedude for making their designs available on Thingiverse. Also a big thank you to Christi ZS4CGR who made this project and sources available to fellow radio amateurs!!
"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:
4 x Super Blue 5mm LEDs
2 x Enclosures 72 x 50 x 20 mm
2 x 18650 Battery holders
2 x Arduino Buck Converters 5v
2 x Banana Male Set, Red Black 4mm
1 x 3w Amplifier Module + Volume control
1 x BNC Male to Banana 4mm Converter
1 x USB OLED Tester
What do I have in mind for the above modules?
Security warning lights
Raspberry Pi PWS's
Emergency Lights conversion
AllStar Radioless Node
USB Power Meter
Follow the GRHub Network Blog for updates on these modular projects.
I needed a proper stand holder for my Baofeng UV82 HT radio. The original charger is a real mess and I will in future build my own charger for the radio. As all the UV82 owners will confess this radio does not stand firmly when in an upright position. Therefor I found that my UV82 was always lying down in a horizontal position. This position has already resulted in several falls from a desk or table. I found this stand holder and 3d printed it. It is a real gem and works great. A must have for all UV82 owners. You have a choice to print a stand with two antenna holder holes or with no holes at all. I opted for the one with two antenna holders. The only thing that I would add is four rubber feet to prevent the holder from sliding around on a polished desk.
The 3 1/2 hours that it took to print this stand is worth the while. I will print another stand for my bed room cabinet.
The photos underneath tells the story of this project, enjoy!!
I tried several filaments clips but found that many of them is useless and others do not work well. I ran into the best universal dual filament dragon clip. It clips onto the spool of any brand of filament. It clips onto 1.75mm or 2.85mm filament. It is shaped like a dragon hence the name Universal Dual-Filament Dragon Clip.
Why this filament clip? I've always used filament clips that clip to the filament itself, but I
was curious to try one that clips to the spool, so I searched
Thingiverse for the best one. In my opinion this is the best clip that I have used thus far with e-Sun filament spools. Give this Dual Filament Dragon Clip a try.
Thanks to Lyl3 for making this design available on Thingiverse.
Image above: 3D Printer Filament Roller Guide mounted above stepper motor (Click on image for larger view.
Image above: 3d view of the Filament Roller Guide without the bearing and wheel. (Click on image for larger view.
Now some might say that the above project has nothing to do with amateur radio. Wrong! 3D Printers is today part and parcel of your amateur radio equipment in the shack. As my 3D printer is an entry level printer I decided to upgrade/add certain 3d printed parts to the printer to enhance its futures. I needed a filament guide to ensure better feeding to the printer head. This filament solved one of my issues. This filament guide uses a 608zz bearing and its geometry prevent the filament from hopping out of the bearing wheel. By far the best design I have come across.
The printing went well but I needed one 608zz bearing for the wheel. Well there is three options:
Buy the bearings new
Find an old skate board wheels and remove the bearings
Find an old Fidget Spinner and remove the bearings
I had no skate board or fidget spinners I could butcher. Well buying new bearings was an option but why fork out extra dollars if I can source the bearings elsewhere. Your local Chinese shop is the answer. I visited my nearest shop and picked up a spinner for R20.00. Some were marked down as low as R10.00 but they had some rust on them and did not run smoothly. I removed the four 608zz bearings from the spinner. I used one bearing for the Filament Roller Guide. The other bearings will be used in a Filament Holder Spool Project. More on this in a future posting. Cheap solution and I will surely pick up some more Fidget Spinners for future 3D printer projects. Note this project will only work on a Biqu B1 3d Printer. Thanks to EddieCoast for making this project available on Thingiverse.
Image above: Butchered Fidget Spinner to salvage the bearings (Click on image for larger view.)
