FDIM 2026 Buildathon KIT @ FDIMPrice: $25.00 |
Coming to FDIM and you want a kit but too busy for taking part in our Buildathon????
Then:
SHOW Up at the Buildathon......Friday the 15th @ 4:00PM
GET a CP SIGHTer KIT.....
DON*T GET a Tool Kit
DON*T SOLDER anything
DO EAT some pizza....
DO DRINK some soda....
WATCH a bit of the SHENANIGANS....
LEAVE whenever you want!
Starting in May of 1976, a series of construction articles appeared in QST instigated by the May*76 cover depicting the Tuna Tin 2 by Doug DeMaw then W1CER. The CB Slider 40m VFO for the Tuna Tin 2 and the Herring Aid 5 receiver quickly followed. All 3 designs featured food cans for chassis. The CB Slider and Herring Aid 5 designs are quite dated and not suitable for a single night Buildathon. So I took a shopping trip to a couple of local grocery stores looking for interesting cans to base some new Buildathon friendly QRP kit designs. I loved these projects from the late 70s and designed several Buildathon kits using more cans from the above picture...or any new cans I stumble upon....
This next Buildathon project is based on a SPAM can but NOT a TT2 VFO project!
Potential SPAM can contents disposal recipes:
#1 Pan fried SPAM (family recipe)
Slice SPAM into 1/4" or so slabs, pan fry in olive oil and adding a can of stewed or diced tomatoes towards the end of the fry. Serve with Brown or Basmati rice.
#2 Hawaiian Pizza
Slice SPAM in THIN slabs and further into smaller pepperoni sized pieces. Use as pizza topping with DOLE pineapple chunks (cut thinner) and Kalamata olives cut in half. I use Naan bread as a quick personal size pizza shell. Rubbed lightly with olive oil, cooked for 2.5 minutes then topped with sauce, cheese & toppings. Cooked for another 8 to 8.5 minutes depending on oven and temp. I have a pizza setting on my countertop oven and 8.5 minutes work fine for me.
#3 Feed it to the Dog, Cat, Chickens etc.
OK, so now the kit...
I call it the CP SIGHTer. It is a device that fits in the antenna line on the output of your Tuna Tin 2, or other QRP transmitter, and lights up a vacuum tube in sync with you outgoing CW signal going out into the ether. It is a completely frivolous item for your QRP station but it sure looks cool in operation.. AND it is a pretty simple design that beginner & experienced builders can easily build in a single LIVE streamed one night session.
As always, the Buildathon kit is only a vehicle to build while imparting knowledge and tips about the kit building process...
Information and documents will be added to the web page as they are generated. I have pcbs, vacuum tubes and parts bags ready to go....just need some builders!
REGISTERED BUILDERS;
MICHAEL COYNE....................F
ROBERT FINCH.....................F
SEAN ADKINS......................B
PHILLIP KLINE....................F
ANTHONY LUSCRE...................F
CHRIS WALDRUP....................B
CRAIG MORAN......................F
ROBERT VOSATKA...................B
DANIEL WALTER....................K
OBE REINHARDT....................F
THOMAS RICHARDSON................B
JOHN NEWSOME.....................Q
I do have an existing kit that does the same thing but it is a larger pcb that fits on a tuna tin and comes with a tuna tin. I"m trying to keep the Buildathon costs low so I designed a smaller board for the SPAM can and YOU supply the can. Exercise extreme caution when cleaning out the can. The SHARP edge that remains from the EZ-Open feature can cut you so I use a soapy sponge and a fork to swish it around in the can keeping my fingers away from that SHARP edge!
Documentation