Long Overdue Update

Hi everyone.  It’s bee way too long since I’ve updated the blog, but I’ve been very busy with shack projects the last month or so.  It all started with a computer death.  I was planning on operating ARRL RTTY Roundup seriously, but about a week before the contest, I started to get the shack ready.  The computer was not acting well.  USB ports seemed to be dying.  So I bought a USB board and slapped it in.  Then the onboard sound went south, so I slapped in an old sound card I had.  Then things started to get even wackier and I decided it was time for a new computer (the “old” shack computer was at least 6 years old).  Ended up ordering a refurbished Lenovo 9269-B9U from tigerdirect.com.  It didn’t arrive in time for ARRL RU, so I was off the air for that contest.

Then I decided that instead of re-connect all the current equipment to the old computer, I’d better get my 2nd Elecraft K3, build a YCCC SO2R box, get my Unified Microsystems BCD-10 band decoders working again for filter switching, etc.  Now that I’m not beholden to the propriatery WriteLog MultiKeyer, I’ve also made the switch to N1MM.  Now that’s all done, and here’s a picture of the “new” shack layout.

Both radios have been placed to the right of the computer.  I’ll have to see how this works out for me.  Generally I’ve been more comfortable reaching to the right than the left, and when I had a rig on either side of the computer screen I always felt like I was watching a tennis match from too close when trying to operate both radios.  Now I need to move my head to go from the computer screen to the rigs, but not to see both rigs.  The plan is to run mainly on the furthest right radio (less “hand on the dial” time) and to S&P mainly on the left radio.  I was also compelled to but both radios on the same side because the YCCC SO2R box calls the radios “1″ and “2″, so I don’t have to worry about left and right anymore!  But, just to be clear, “1″ is on the left, and “2″ is on the right.

I’m very proud of my 2 K3s, and my new YCCC SO2R box, so here’s another couple pictures of those items.

Oh yeah, that’s a nice Vibroplex Iambic Standard in front of the rig – Christmas present from my wife!

The next project that’s already on the workbench is a KK1L 2×6 switch and controller.  This will replace my homebrew 2×5 switch that I purchased from KV1W several years ago.  This new switch will be an upgrade in terms of safety and port to port isolation.  It will also allow for N1MM to control the antenna selection automatically (and independently of the filter selection – see the “band decoder output” section about half way down this page), so all I’ll have left to do (for now) is tune amps.  Controlling the filters indipendently of the antennas is important in my station because I’ve got multiple multiband antennas, but the filters are obviously monoband.  With the introduction of the new Ameritron ALS-1300, I may be making the move to an all automated station later this year (at least on the S&P station).

I plan to operate WPX CW seriously, so hope to hear you on then.

73 de Al, KE1FO

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