Topic: E field Kit just arrived...

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

... likely not get started until Thurs or Fri, however...

[Jumpin Joe]

... likely not get started until Thurs or Fri, however...

Lucky you.... Please update us after you install it. 

Joe

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

OMG... these parts get tinier and tinier, and the print gets blurrier and blurrier... well, maybe that's me...

Got 'em finally sorted. Be Very Careful. Use a DVM to ohm the resistors. Get a microscope to decode IC's #'s....

Couple of errors... Amp schematic does not show a Rail Splitter, and part is not included, although mentioned in parts list (Error... this was in early design).
( Single rail splitter only, in amp TLE 2426)
Amp pts list calls L3 and L4 twice... one set radial, one set axial. Disregard axial.. L3 and L4 are radials.

Pay very specific attention to cap and resistor values, especially in the filters!   Very careful!

Now that they're sorted, what do I do next? 

[JonathanW]

OMG... these parts get tinier and tinier, and the print gets blurrier and blurrier... well, maybe that's me...

Got 'em finally sorted. Be Very Careful. Use a DVM to ohm the resistors. Get a microscope to decode IC's #'s....

Couple of errors... Amp schematic does not show a Rail Splitter, and part is not included, although mentioned in parts list (Error... this was in early design).
( Single rail splitter only, in amp TLE 2426)
Amp pts list calls L3 and L4 twice... one set radial, one set axial. Disregard axial.. L3 and L4 are radials.

Pay very specific attention to cap and resistor values, especially in the filters!   Very careful!

Now that they're sorted, what do I do next? 

Mike, I noticed myself that the parts seem to be getting smaller (it's not my eyes!  it's not my eyes!).

I've pressed one of these into service on my bench:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5M-Cable-USB-Waterproof-Borescope-Endoscope-Inspection-Snake-Tube-Camera-Scope-/331177817580?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d1bbc75ec

It's mounted to a flexible gooseneck originally designed for camera lighting, which itself is mounted to the bench (another has a "helping hands" attachment).  A small computer and 15" flat screen display serves as a viewer.  Works quite well for those small parts!

[corwyyn]

I was thinking of doing something similar with one of those USB microscopes, would make it a lot easier on the eyes plus I'm used to working with inspection scopes.  I also remembered I have some ham antennas in the garage that could donate a whip for the e-field probe.  Guess I now what I'm going to be doing once I get the main kit built and running...

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

The probe is a piece of wire, maybe 30cm, or a beer can tab... a whip antenna is definitely overkill..  once again, these are extremely sensitive, and anything bigger is too much.
These are designed to interface under 500km, period, What'll probably happen is if too much comes from your E antenna, they may just not use your station. They're pretty serious about the data they want from those three signals from E field. Build it per specs. No kidding.

There are about 3 confusing errors in the first releases parts list, for the amp... when I finish the amp, I'll try to post them, if they haven't already been updated...

[JonathanW]

Mike - you saw that they updated the project PDF yesterday, right?

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

Thanks,...
No, I didn't.... fumbled my way through!,.. Boards are built... big ol' F connector on Preamp is cooling down now...
I'll double check it...

Maybe run initial tests tonight... after I rest the eyes a bit.

[JonathanW]

I figured you were elbows deep in solder all afternoon

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

I figured you were elbows deep in solder all afternoon

Yeah, over my life I've inhaled enough lead... no wonder I'm nuts...


Yeah, folks, make sure you use the latest documentation to build. Egon's corrected it with errors fixed that Gerhard and I ran into... You should be home free now.

[DaleReid]

Guys,
There's an unwritten rule that says IF you get early kits, you a) send wife to store, no matter how much cash you have to give her, b) call in sick to work, and c) take pictures.


Hope you can comply.
Dale

[Jumpin Joe]

I have sent Egon two messages about ordering the kit and have not heard from him.  Has anyone else heard from him the last few days?

Joe

[W3DRM]

I have sent Egon two messages about ordering the kit and have not heard from him.  Has anyone else heard from him the last few days?

Joe

He may just be busy getting ready for the "Big Techday" in Munich later this month. See the article about it in the What's New section of the BO website.

• http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page=2

[Jumpin Joe]

I had read that and thought that might be the reason. I'll wait another day and try again.

Joe

[W3DRM]

I had read that and thought that might be the reason. I'll wait another day and try again.

Joe

When I ordered my E-field kit, it took him several days before he responded to my requests too. I guess patience it the key-word...

Now I'm waiting for it to arrive - hopefully some time this week.

[Jumpin Joe]

I had read that and thought that might be the reason. I'll wait another day and try again.

Joe

When I ordered my E-field kit, it took him several days before he responded to my requests too. I guess patience it the key-word...

Now I'm waiting for it to arrive - hopefully some time this week.

I think my patience was much better when I was a kid, I'm sure there are many more of me on this forum.   .

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

Ok, I think we'll go with something like this for first stab at a probe... (not done yet... )
Using 15" 12ga solid wire...









Edit to add completed mounting... 5/18/14

[Jumpin Joe]

Ok, I think we'll go with something like this for first stab at a probe... (not done yet... )
Using 15" 12ga solid wire...

Looking good Mike.   

Joe

[W3DRM]

Hmmm, screw-on connections for the pvc - hadn't thought about that method. It would make it easier to take apart, if necessary. I was going to use slip-joints and not cement them together. May change my mind on that one...

Still waiting for my kit to arrive... 

[Jumpin Joe]

My kit has been ordered. Egon has been very busy an apologized for the delay. Heck, I'm just glad I could order one. 

Hey Don.... sounds like your excited and your patience is weak too!!   

Joe

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

Hmmm, screw-on connections for the pvc - hadn't thought about that method. It would make it easier to take apart, if necessary. I was going to use slip-joints and not cement them together. May change my mind on that one...

Still waiting for my kit to arrive... 

This may help

The threads on the 3" lower need to be loose, the preamp may bind if it twists, so some 'jiggling' may be required until the F connector can be locked down.
I suspect I will drill a tiny hole, at downward angle, at top, and another 1 or 2 at the bottom to allow heat and moisture venting. I'm still pondering that... .
As in previous pic, I intend to make the 'power' LED visible, mounting at the bottom.
Edit... revised pipe sizes.   

[miraculon]

Ok, I think we'll go with something like this for first stab at a probe... (not done yet... )
Using 15" 12ga solid wire...

Looks great Mike. I think that I will copy it. How are you going to mount it? Conduit clamps?

Did you support the wire inside the PVC?

I got my kit, but I need to get power into my planned workshop before I can build it. I am also going to need to put in a ground rod out at the garage. Still not 100% from the move yet....

Greg

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

Looks great Mike. I think that I will copy it. How are you going to mount it? Conduit clamps?
Did you support the wire inside the PVC?
I got my kit, but I need to get power into my planned workshop before I can build it. I am also going to need to put in a ground rod out at the garage. Still not 100% from the move yet....
Greg

I'm thinking it will wind up on the Vue mast... I'm also thinking the mounting should stand off the assy about a foot or 18" from the metal mast.  I've not had a chance to really check my environment E wise, but it has always seemed to be mostly M. I'm also thinking I'd prefer any clamps etc at the housing be non-metal...
My rough idea is to cement a 12"-18" solid piece of 1" PVC rod into that 1-¾ reducer at 90°, and an arrangement at the other end to clamp to the mast.

Yeah, I've some Styrofoam to support the probe... 2 or 3 chunks with holes in center, and a wad of it at the upper end... don't want it to fit tight... it'll need to come out if preamp issues... .

Now, one reason I'm makin' it 'purty' is the neighborhood and the wife, and limited locations to mount. Other than that, I'd do like John Sacrey did with his loops... stick it in a garbage can.  Or maybe a 2 liter bottle and hang it from a tree limb somewhere...

[W3DRM]

My kit has been ordered. Egon has been very busy an apologized for the delay. Heck, I'm just glad I could order one. 

Hey Don.... sounds like your excited and your patience is weak too!!   

Joe

Yes, am not-so-patiently waiting for the arrival of the kit. So, today I took a long hike up a canyon in the area with a couple friends. It was supposed to be a 6-mile hike in and out up to a waterfall in the area. The maps lied! It turned-out to be just short of 10-miles with an elevation change from 4600-feet up to 7425-feet. Straight-line distance from the trail-head to the waterfall is about 0.9 of a mile. So, as you can imagine, the canyon walls are quite steep and the trail consists of many switch-backs. The hardest part was coming back down with the fairly steep grade of the trail. My old knees really took a beating even though I had two walking sticks to help. At least I'll have something else to think about tonight (pain!) rather than where my E-field kit is... 

[W3DRM]

Hmmm, screw-on connections for the pvc - hadn't thought about that method. It would make it easier to take apart, if necessary. I was going to use slip-joints and not cement them together. May change my mind on that one...

Still waiting for my kit to arrive... 

This may help

The threads on the 3" lower need to be loose, the preamp may bind if it twists, so some 'jiggling' may be required until the F connector can be locked down.
I suspect I will drill a tiny hole, at downward angle, at top, and another 1 or 2 at the bottom to allow heat and moisture venting. I'm still pondering that... .
As in previous pic, I intend to make the 'power' LED visible, mounting at the bottom.
Edit... revised pipe sizes.   

Mike,

Why not use some plumbers' teflon tape to seal the lower joints? That way they will be easy to unscrew if necessary.