There are lots of projects going on here at the ranch and I’m not sure where to start. So, I’ll make a dreaded bullet list. A lot of this stuff has been a long time coming and I haven’t even had to spend much money on it, just time.
QSLing:
- Some PJ2/K8GU cards are still in the queue since USPS didn’t like the “gift” (a laser-engraved poker chip) I was including with them—need to get padded envelopes.
- No KP4/K8GU cards have been replied to since I don’t have a card design yet. This will be a photo card.
- Plan to have all direct QSLing caught-up by the New Year.
HF station:
- QRV on 80/40/20 with full SO2R.
- Right TS-930S still needs a new set of MRF-485 drivers (although it puts out a few watts).
- Left TS-930S needs PLL/master-oscillator alignment so it will go to bands other than 40 meters.
- Built IK4AUY 2N5109 push-pull preamp from QEX article—needs finished and tested. Have enough parts to build two, but might go with the simpler W7IUV design for the other instead.
- Plan reduced-size K9AY for 80/40, maybe 160.
- Plan W3NQN RX filters to go on the K9AY ahead of the preamp.
VHF/UHF station:
- Wired in Jones plug(s) for the rotator.
- 50-MHz transverter project is stalled awaiting parts orders (SM caps and toroids).
- Do a planning cost analysis of 50- and 432-MHz transverter costs vs buying a used FT-817.
- Ordered W1GHZ 903- and 1296-MHz boards and kits with W8ISS.
- Plan PAs for 903- and 1296-MHz transverters.
Computers:
- Bought new keyboards and mice for sakhalin and formosa.
- Thanks to the generosity of a friend, sakhalin now has two Seagate Cheatah Ultra320 10-krpm 36-gB disks.
- Added the old 1.7-gB IDE disk from the “ham computer” to sakhalin so I can still run TR.
- Added the extra RS-232 ports from the “ham computer” to sakhalin for rig control.
- In the process of configuring sakhalin to triple-boot Windows 95 (aka MS-DOS 7 for contesting TR), Windows XP (so I have it), and Xubuntu.
- Plan to migrate formosa user data (not much of it) to sakhalin.
- Plan to convert formosa from Xubuntu to OpenBSD using 20-gB drive from sakhalin, plus 120-gB already inside.
- Plan to migrate crete server contents to formosa.
- Plan to convert crete back from Ubuntu Server to “ham portable computer” running Windows 95 (aka DOS 7).
- May run a network drop to the basement to use crete in the shop.
- The MacBook (vieques) still just works.
- So does the OpenWRT box (home).
And that’s just the hobby stuff! Well, most of it.
