The Flow

[riffuchs]

It still happens. The Flow. I'm always amazed about the effect it has. What started with the attemp to get one boring task/project done ended up in 9 hours of focused work on projects without eating and other distractions. It absorbed me completely and when I snapped back to attention it left me kinda stunned. I really got three projects done I was procastinating for months by now. All projects were so called re-work tasks. Re-Wiring devices and improving the stability and quality. Something that's needed but quite boring because it exists of boring and repetitive soldering work.

So what did I do?

Rewiring the Battery Pack switch in my Yasesu FT-897D HAM Transceiver. I also changed the TCXO module, now using the Version 9 unit. Since I had to open the device anyway I installed two additional Filter units I got myself some months ago. One YF-122CN (CW, 300Hz) and YF-122S (SSB, 2,3kHz). Especially the 300Hz one kicks ass. Now I can listen to CW with all stations very close to the actual target frequency completely blanked out. Worth the money!

Months ago I got myself a 12V power bar. Which is basically a large bar with many 4mm laboratory plug sockets. The Packing said it can handle up to 60A (my transceiver consumes 22A alone). It's from china. So I didn't dare to spend ANY trust on named specification. A look inside has proven me right. Good thing I did that. Urks! After pondering to just throw it away I decided other wise and soldered thick copper wires to the tracks and changed the supply cables. The (car-) fuse holder got also changed. And - of course - I replaced all those ugly bright blue LEDs with diffused green ones. If I ever happen to meet a fairy that grants me one wish I'll ask her to turn all blue LEDs green and to make mankind forget how to build blue LEDs. You get my drift. :)

Reworking the interal wiring of my LDG AT-897 Plus Automatic Antenna Tuner. Leads should be kept short and in parallel when working with HF. Using "low frequencies" up to 50Mhz is NO excuse to not stick to that rule. Nuff Said.

Obviously there was also enough time to fit all parts to the PCB of my new Binary Clock. Good thing. Makes me happy. Ah, but that's worth an entry of its own. :)

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