6N7 Tube QRP Power Amplifier - One Rainy Day DIY Project

Once upon a time I'd decided to join a Big Guns Gang and made a Super-Duper Powerful Vacuum Tube QRP amplifier for my 800mW QRPP homebrew telegraph vacuum tube transceiver "3T" (I promise to write a separate article or two about this three tube transceiver project later). It was not an easy decision to me because for that legendary time I'd almost a year used the QRPP power of less than a watt, but there was a rainy spring day, I've called CQ again and again without any takers and, at very last, somebody took over my only rock bound frequency. "That's all" - I said - "Enough!" ..and turned on my Soldering Iron.

Let me describe the scheme. Grounded-Grid design has been chosen because it is simple, easy to matching to coaxial impedance, provides the necessary level of amplification and typically requires no neutralization. After several experiments with triodes and double triodes I'd chose a 6N7S (6H7C) valve - Russian glass shaped version of well known 6N7 vacuum tube. I know that there was a 6N7G and 6N7GT American glass tubes, but as I heard these ones was not as common as metal 6N7.

Junkyard Warz Novelty Transmitter by W9QZ

Several month ago I found a great, probably most artistic Glowbugs Radio homebrewer in the WEB - Rick Weber, W9QZ. I've been very impressed, downloaded some beautiful photos of those stylish Rick's HAM-Radio artefacts and, naturally, forget to check this page again - it was my mistake. Take this:

Rick:

"Junkyard Warz Novelty Project. This is a working Hartley transmitter I built with all non-radio components except for one 027 vacuum tube."

Visit W9QZ Vintage Gears and enjoy the fire of these FireBottles (not only fire - you can find some bottles turned  into HF insulators in the Lab of Great Steampunk Wizard, W9QZ)

Second Life of Dead MFM Hard Drives - Iambic Paddle

Just finished my first in life "Instructable" at the D.I.Y. host site instructables. It is short sketch about Iambic Paddle which has been made using a spare parts from the dead MFM HDD drive. I got a lot of fun posting to that site, and I think that it should be good idea to post more detailed article here. Frankly, this homebrew project is not a Pure Glowing Bug, but I'm not so puristic today.
Well, let me explain - why I decided to use HDD heads as a levers in this Iambic Paddle Project. For many years I've collected computer spare parts for no reason, just because I have a big, nearly endless Junk Box and it was impossible to me to throw such high-tech toys in the trash. But one morning I found that my Junk Box is full and The Time of Trash Bags has come. It was a hard work, but under the tons of debris I found the treasure - my first homemade Z80 Sinclair Spectrum and five old 5 inch MFM hard drives from my second computer.
As you remember, these drives was a big rounded shaped boxes, ideal as a chassis for any homemade electronic projects, tube glowbugs as well as solid state stuff. Another interesting things - powerful electromotor and magnetic cylinders itself, thick shiny discs which are so usable as a dial or scale part, looked much better than a CD in this role. And last but not least - yes, precision bearings on the easy to mount axis in magnetic head's block. What a beautiful hardware! When I opened and totally disassembled these hard drives, I realized that I literally had a very new telegraph key, usual one lever, dual lever iambic paddle or even straight key - not so important, it is easy to make any kind of telegraph manipulator using these nice spare parts. Watch this video demonstrating a working Iambic Paddle and take a look at step by step constructing process here:

Free Radio Nova

Long Live Glorious D-STAR, DRM, SDR, VoIP, DSP, and their Amazing SMT! 

Long Live Modern HAM-Radio, FairLand of Bells, Whistless and other Adaptive Filters!

Heil to the Morse Decoder Software!

Voice Keyer is Our Savior! Huray! eQSL!

* * *
But now.. [drums] But now...
* * *

---

SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

---

Yes, it is Pirate Radio and yes, We are The HAMs,  We are proud to be not a hobby, but Emergency Service. I confirm. Don't shoot me, please. I've just read a short message about this station on the Irish Paul's blog and I recognized The Radio when I met. Even without LCD.

Evergreen Exciter for the Special Night

Several days ago I listened to the completely empty ten meters band. There was a lot of noises, quiet CB chewing and nothing else.
Suddenly I heard a slow, quiet, but very clear telegraph code, resembling W1AW QST. I have not heard the beginning, but wrote all heard: