[Boatanchors] Apology and eating crow

[Kludge]

-----Original Message-----
From: doc at kd4e.com [mailto:doc at kd4e.com] 
> I didn't notice anything unusual, though sometimes we play a little
> rough on some of the lists, most don't take it personally as everyone
> has a rough day and lets off steam now and then.

Well, yeah, but I made it personal in a few cases which ... well, when I
screw up I do it big time and that was one of my better - or worse -
examples.

> It takes a big man to fess-up and ask forgiveness, so kudos to you
> my friend!

I couldn't not do so.  Forgiveness has been a little slow in coming but I
expected that given the circumstances.  I don't believe those who fail to
are immature (to answer your other email) so much as wary.  There wasn't a
lot of room for forgiveness left after I got done and if it doesn't come I
can't blame the parties involved.

> It has been a couple of decades since I visited Hawaii, it was
> interesting but not a place I would choose to live, largely due to
> some of the factors you mentioned.

There are some excellent features here which kind of offset the bad ones,
one of which is the weather and another is the relaxed pace of life.  A lot
of mainlanders expect Hawaii to be just like the mainland since it is a
state.  This is wrong.  It's a separate country that happens to be a state
and can't be measured by mainland standards.  There are many vestiges of the
kingdom, republic and territorial days remaining which lead to significant
differences in the culture & traditions.  The culture shock is too much for
a lot of people who plan to retire here and they go home fairly quickly.
The general rule of thumb is that if someone makes it past three years,
they're here for life.  I've been here ten, long enough to be considered
kama`aina in most cases. 

> You are carrying some personal loads that would crush other men;

They've knocked me down a few times but I have to remain strong for Noelle
so I get back up and keep on truckin'.  She is my universe and to do less is
unthinkable ... but then so is losing her and I know that's coming.  

> stay the course and please continue to bless us with your unique
> technical knowledge and your most-usual words of encouragement!

*chuckling* ... well "unique" is one way of putting it.  Weird.  Oddball.
Downright strange.  They probably fit better.  I mean who else would design
a SSB rig using 1930s technology.  (Yeah, I'm the guilty party for that
one.)  The whole thing will be using 1930s parts and techniques including
the breadboard construction for the Tx and parts of the Rx.  Only a few
circuit details will be more modern and that may change later on.

In more detail: Since it'll be a phase shifter rather than filter rig, the
design won't be pure 1930s however hams were experimenting with SSB as early
as 1934 with filter rigs (the filtering being at 20 KC) so I'm in the right
ballpark.  If I can find any of the technical details as well as schematics
etc, I may try duplicating those efforts as well or instead.  As it is, I
need to find a less than pristine Rx & Tx pair from an SCR-A*-183 or -283
for part of this rig I have on the boards plus play around with some of my
BC-3 et al crystals to get the right combinations to cover 80-10m plus
hopefully 160m.  I think I need to make subharmonic generators for one of
the oscillators but I don't know yet.  

The Rx will be a BC-A*-229/-429 turned sideways so the coil sets are in
front and the controls all moved to that side.  One TRF stage will be made
into an oscillator while the remaining three will be made slightly
regenerative.  The detector will be made into sort of a product detector so
the whole thing winds up pretty much a direct conversion Rx.  

Before the purists yell, I do NOT want to start off with something
recoverable without undue effort but rather a "parts or pervert" set.  The
only things that will be kind of original will be the coil sets and I don't
see a need to do anything major to them that can't be undone if need be.  If
they also are raunchy to start with, so much the better; I can exercise a
bit more freedom in the design.  

This beastie will be a Tx/Rx pair in one case with the Tx stacked over the
Rx (I think - maybe the other way around) and only sharing a few elements
like the offset oscillator for the bands above 40m.  It will be accompanied
by a highly modified (physically, not electrically) LM frequency meter (also
a 1930s design) which is what's saving that piece from being broken down for
parts or converted to a VFO.  It's in shape that would be sad if it were a
bit better and has already donated a few parts to complete other units.
Once the cab is straightened out and the panel made kind of presentable
(plus replacements for the missing bits installed), it will be getting a
1930s style (to match the Rx/Tx) wooden outer wrapper large enough to
enclose it (still in its original cab, of course) and a power supply -
possibly a dynamotor although I'm not sure.  Once that's done, I can create
a new calibration chart - maybe a scroll type like the BC-B*-183 used - and
its ready to rock.  

This will all happen slowly over a period of time when I can take breaks
from the Noelle AV Project.  The breaks will allow me to plan the next MP3s
and MP4s which will allow me to be with her at least in one form since we
can't be together physically right now.  

There are a couple other hollows state projects but they're not hard line
boatanchors that it takes two men and a strong boy to lift so there'd be no
interest here.  :-)

The AV project has grown significantly since I'm adding 3D animation to it
with our faces mapped onto the characters.  The physical features will also
be added so we are ... well, us.  Since she's never been to Hawaii, I can
bring her here in digital form so we can be together and I can be more
directly supportive.  

But wait.  There's more.  Under the monolog or dialog will be music
especially chosen to be restful yet upbeat.  And underneath that will be
subliminal messages (something with which I have much experience) that will
be a second tier of support.  Subliminals are short term (or they are in
theory since there's some discussion about them using repeated messages
having long term effects) but that doesn't matter.  The idea is to reinforce
what is being said on top which will last as long as it lasts.

And all this isn't enough but it's the best I can do.

Best regards,
 
Michael, WH7HG BL01xh
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NTH/index.aspx 
http://wh7hg.blogspot.com/ 
http://kludges-other-blog.blogspot.com 
Hiki Nô!