QSO Today Podcast - QSO TODAY AMATEUR RADIO PODCAST

K7QO

9/12/2015

Episode 058 - chuck Adams - K7QO

Chuck Adams, K7QO, is working the world with his single channel 20 meter transceiver just to show that he can. CW is Chuck’s mode of choice because of its efficiency and as a gateway to making ham radio affordable to anyone. Chuck shares his ham radio life, his Manhattan "muppet board" construction technique, and how to copy call signs at 140 words a minute, with Eric, 4Z1UG, on this episode of QSO Today.

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Father was a ham: W5NNB

Hometown: Wink, Texas

First Club: Kermit, Texas Ham Radio Club

Instructograph - Morse code trainer with paper tape.

First License: KN5FJZ, 1957

License upgrade to Conditional Class license:K5FJZ

Upgrade to Extra Class: K5FO, 1970

K7QO - Vanity Callsign, 1999

First Radio Club: Midland Amateur Radio Club

First Rig: Heathkit Apache Transmitter borrowed from the Midland Amateur Radio Club

National NC300 receiver

First QSO with an Ameco AC1 transmitter and
40 meter dipole lying on the ground

Keyer: Vibroplex

Shave and a Haircut two bits

Father had a Collins KWM2A Transceiver

Virgil E Bottom - expert on quartz crystals

Education:

Texas A&M Radio Club, W5AC 1970

Wall Street Journal 2007 Interview with Chuck Adams

Current Rig: PigRig One Watt Transceiver

W8DIZ - Kits and Parts Dot Com

Benefit of learning the Morse Code - you can build a low budget transceiver for less than $50.00 and work the World

Chuck’s Website - K7QO.net

Chuck’s Youtube Channel

United Press International Morse Code

Morse Code at 140 Words Per Minute

rufzXP CW call sign trainer - sends call sign in

HSP - High speed telegraphy contest

Fists CW Club

Manhattan Muppet Board Method - for building homebrew electronics building

Introduction to Radio Frequency Design - by Wes Hayward

Building Techniques - By Chuck Adams, K7QO - slide deck

2N2222 Transistor - NPN common transistor

14.059 Mhz - Chuck’s single frequency on 20 meters

CME disturbance - “hurricanes of Space weather”

Wonderlabs Kits

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Heathkit Apache Transmitter

Ameco AC-1 Novice Transmitter

National NC300 Receiver

Chuck's 1 Watt 20 meter Transceiver - The "Pig Rig"

23 Comments

Bob Ignacio

9/12/2015 11:02:19 pm

Impressive guest and show. Really enjoyed it.

Know Chuck's a CW man, but 'bout anything would sound better than that potato he's using for a mike.

Eric 4Z1UG

9/13/2015 02:55:55 am

Thanks for your comment, Bob. Sometimes, If I can't make Skype work so I have to call a landline, that does not have the frequency response of a Skype to Skype call.

Chuck was still a great QSO and lots of fun for me.

KC3CVN

9/14/2015 09:49:23 am

Isnt the "pig rig" 1 watter 20m? You have it as 40. Great show.

Jerry Palsson

9/14/2015 05:27:10 pm

Yes, that photo is captioned incorrectly. It shows the "1Watter," a QRPp rig for 20m, kitted and sold by W8DIZ at kitsandparts.com. Great little transceiver and fun to build. --Jerry AA6KI

Eric 4Z1UG

9/15/2015 01:29:44 pm

Thanks for spotting my error. I fixed it. It is a 20 meter rig.

Rudy Littrell link

9/14/2015 05:27:17 pm

Hello, Chuck.
Hey, what happened?
I remember you having hair, the last time we had an eyeball QSO.
Thanks for keeping CW alive well.
I'm still listening and learning.
Regards, Rudy Littrell
kc5yl

Chuck link

9/15/2015 02:03:52 pm

Rudy,

Good to hear from you. That was some time ago. :-)
Grass doesn't grow on a busy lawn....

I don't have to do much to keep CW alive. It seems to be
doing pretty good all by itself. I'm just putting in my two
cents worth.

I miss the Dallas QRP gang and the swapmeets. I may
try to make HamComm this next year.

73, chuck, k7qo

Nick Kennedy link

9/15/2015 07:39:02 pm

I remember the "shave and a haircut" thing. My mentor came to our school when I was in the 7th grade and showed us his S-40. He tuned around and shortly heard some guys doing it. He kinda rolled his eyes and smiled and said, "novices!", showing disapproval and amusement at the same time. This must have been around 1961.

73-

Nick, WA5BDU

David

9/15/2015 09:06:03 pm

A lot to be said for simplicity and enjoying our hobby or any hobby for that matter. Thank you for the words of wisdom.

John AE5X link

9/18/2015 04:35:22 pm

OK so who's going to order a One-Watter?! I'm getting the crazy idea to build one and use it in November's CQWW. Very interesting podcast!

73 - John AE5X

Jerry Palsson

9/18/2015 09:55:34 pm

I've already built mine, and have just placed an order for the 30m version. Will also get the 17m version when it's available.

Jerry AA6KI
Tucson

Bruce

9/19/2015 12:09:09 am

first time listener, enjoyed the entire show; makes me want to get on CW, its been a very long time since I've been there; and I want to build; all because of this show.

Eric 4Z1UG

9/20/2015 12:12:02 pm

Bruce - may of my guests inspire me to pursue a different course every once in a while to keep the hobby fresh and exciting. Thanks for listening!

dan

9/23/2015 10:50:18 am

Chuck (or anyone), I use various methods to make my PCB's such as dremeling with a cutoff disk, dress press if I want through holes, cutting with a utility knife, etc. I would like to try using the homemade etchant you describe, which I understand has been around for quite some time and is very effective. My dilemma is that I am not in a financial situation to purchase a printer, ink, laminator, etc etc. I was hoping you/someone could give me some advice on if I could simply use indelible ink/sharpie markers to make the 'mask' on the PCB instead of the more beautiful but far too expensive (for me) process you use. I'd like to know if this etchant would be suitable for use with other resists like scotch tape, paint, indian ink, masking tape, etc. I've thought about trying whiteout correctional fluid or perhaps even the whiteout strips (the sort of product that you 'roll' over the word you wish to 'white out') to make very nice straight tracks that will result from etching, while using something like tape to cover up the bulk of the ground plane to remain on the copper clad.

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks, great interview, and best wishes.

72,
dan

chuck adams

9/23/2015 02:20:11 pm

I would think anything that will not dissolve in water should do the
trick. I use the magic marker for large ground planes that may
have an area break loose before etching. Usually just a spec
or two. It protects nicely.

You are just going to have to experiment. That is the final
say as to whether something is going to work or not.

chuck

Dan

9/24/2015 06:53:43 am

Thank you for the reply, Chuck. Experimentation is, of course, what it's all about. :) I am familiar with individuals using magic marker's for touch-ups on the boards. I checked out a pdf slide show for a presentation you gave on breadboarding techniques that featured a few popular techniques and concluded with the MUPPET method. I found the slide depicting a DIP socket being "broken out" with male header pins to be a clever idea that I have not seen before. Thank you for your contributions to homebrewing, Sir.

72, Dan

James - KH2SR link

11/9/2015 12:07:19 pm

I recently published a review of the LD-5 QRP rig. Thought you guys might be interested so here it is: http://www.examiner.com/review/tech-review-ld-5-hf-ham-radio-qrp-transceiver

Dave AA7EE link

8/15/2016 05:17:47 am

Thank you Chuck and Eric, for keeping me company during a late night/early morning soldering session. It felt very fitting that I should be listening to you gentlemen talking about construction techniques and the code, as I was fiddling with the rather tricky placement of a few parts on a 3 watt trail-friendly CW transceiver that I'm building (Manhattan style). You were excellent companions. Thank you!

Eric, 4Z1UG

8/17/2016 12:54:57 pm

Dave - be sure to post the pictures of your finished rig some place.

Dave AA7EE link

8/17/2016 01:55:43 pm

I will, Eric. There are still some tweaks, mods, and other things to finalize but unless it suffers a catastrophic failure, it'll be up on my blog at some point. It's nothing groundbreaking - just a scratch build of Wilderness Radio's SST (as they discontinued the kit), but it's shaping up to be a crackin' little rig.

I'm also thinking of purchasing W8DIZ' 1 Watter, to have around, if and when the urge grabs me. It's a great value. I have a few other ideas brewing too though and, unlike Chuck, I am terribly, terribly slow in the way I work. It comes from living in a tiny studio with 3 cats. I see them lying around all day doing very little, perfectly zen-like, and think to myself, "Well that sounds like a good idea!"

73 for now, and thank you for the engaging interview series. It's great to get our ham folklore recorded and archived.

Rodney Phillips

5/4/2019 11:12:30 am

Hello. I went to high school with you in Wink. I would like to send you an email. Is there some way you would feel comfortable letting me know your email address. This is legit. Thanks.

Chuck Adams link

5/5/2019 04:53:29 am

Rodney,

look at my web site k7qo.com and at the bottom is
my current email address. looking forward to hearing
from you.

ciao dude,

Go Wildcats!!

Billy Moore link

1/24/2022 07:21:11 am

I just noticed on your podcast that you were first licensed in 1957 at Wink, Texas as KN5FJZ. Wow, three similarities at once. I was first licensed in 1957 (#1) at Belton, Texas (#2) as KN5JJZ (#3-ending in JZ). First rig was a home brew 50L6 - 35W4 AC/DC rig built on a plywood chassis. Had an ARC-5 receiver I bought for $1 and a surplus navy key. Still have and use the navy key. First QSO was KN5GOB in Tomball, Texas. Boy, it took a while to pound out that KN5JJZ.

Just noticed that we were both Texas boys. You were out in West Texas while our ranch was on the eastern edge of the Hill Country. It is now under the water of Stillhouse Hollow Lake. We lived in Keys Valley at the bottom of Stillhouse Hollow.

73, Billy

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K7QO

Episode 058 - chuck Adams - K7QO

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