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Projects by N5BIA
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New Products 2012 |
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Written by Bill Buoy
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Friday, 03 February 2012 19:05 |
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It has been an interesting year, one that has kept me busier than expected with retirement. Not that this is a bad thing - just haven't been as active in ham radio and electronics as I expected to be. I plan to be at some of the Texas hamfests this year. The first will be the Greater Houston show at the Ft. Bend Fairgrounds in March. IsoCat kits are still available, at a reduced price of $80 plus shipping. I also have a few completed units that I built for a deal that fell through. These are new, tested, and ready for plug-n-play. All cables are provided, so you could be on the air very quickly. These are $100 plus shipping. The Projects website is adding a new area of interest and new products this year. The new area of interest is photography - equipment or products that I found interesting and/or useful while pursuing photographic interests. The first one is a simple idea, but very handy when working in the field. I found that I often needed a tripod or monopod to keep the camera steady when taking wildlife photos. Frequently, by the time I set up the tripod, the opportunity had passed. This is where the beanbag proved to be very handy. Simply set the beanbag on a partially-lowered car window, a nearby fork in a tree, or other handy feature, and then rest the camera on the beanbag. The camera is protected from scratches and damage and is as steady as if it were on a tripod. The beanbag weighs only two pounds and does double duty as added padding in a camera bag if necessary. It ships easily in a suitcase when travelling if you don't want to carry it in your camera bag. Beanbags are available now, for $10.00 each, plus shipping. Two of them will fit in a small USPS flat rate box, The second new product is a camera trigger to enable external random events to remotely press the shutter. This controller is designed for any camera with an electronic shutter release - primarily DSLRs - as well as a few of the later film 35mm cameras. The controller responds to lightning, sound, or infrared level changes. I am completing field testing, and expect to have the multi-trigger available for shipment later this year. Check back for the announcement. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 03 February 2012 19:37 )
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August 2011 |
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Written by N5BIA
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Wednesday, 24 August 2011 02:47 |
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Though very little activity has been evident on the Projects website, N5BIA has been active in other areas. I retired this year, and looking back, I have no idea how I found the time to hold a full-time job. I have renewed an old interest in photography and have spent quite a bit of time refreshing old knowledge and acquiring new skills. We have also taken a couple of extended trips - one to Port Aransas and the Aransas NWR and another to Tucson, AZ and San Diego, CA. Unfortunately, neither trip coincided with a hamfest. We did go to HamCom this year, a trip that proved more expensive than planned - I came home with a full set of PowerPole crimpers and an FT-817ND. Neither acquisition was planned, they just followed me home. Just like the border collie did in grade school. Honest. We also had a major upgrade in the transportation department. Of course, this necessitated moving the ham gear to the new vehicle. This took some planning and the fabrication of a new antenna installation. More details to follow - I'm working on getting the installation details published.sThe IsoCat is still alive and well - in fact, I've developed a couple of modifications and an improved cabling arrangement for use with Yaesu transceivers. The details are being made available here as soon as I have them fully documented. I have kits in stock for immediate shipment. I am now also entertaining requests to provide assembly services in limited circumstances. For the present, these services are available to hams who are physically unable to assemble t he kits. Prices are available by quote only. I am now offering photographer's bean bags. Many photographers use these as an impromptu tripod - set one down, position the camera and fire away. These are especially useful for hikers or when visiting a drive-through animal park. They are small enough and light enough (~ 2 lbs.) that they fit in most camera bags without adding too much weight. Unlike many home-brew beanbags, they do not actually contain beans so they don't grow sprouts, mildew, or start to smell bad if they accidentally get wet. As of late August, we're planning on being at Belton with product to sell. I'll also have a few other items from the shack that I no longer need. Hope to see you there. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 18 December 2011 19:00 )
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February 2009 |
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Written by Bill Buoy
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Sunday, 22 February 2009 02:22 |
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First show if the year was San Antonio. We had a good time, saw some old friends, and sold a few items. A very welcome break from the holiday season. I'll be at the Greater Houston Hamfest at the Ft. Bend County Fairgrounds in March. I'll have at least one IsoCat, as well as charger kits. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 22 February 2009 02:52 )
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July 2009 |
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Written by Bill Buoy
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Wednesday, 22 July 2009 14:00 |
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So far, the only show I've been able to attend this year was San Antonio. Summerfest isn't looking too probable, and Belton in October is doubtful. Family commitments and discretionary funds because of the economy have certainly limited leisure activities. I got the opportunity to work with an FT-897 and have developed a much improved cabling solution for Yaesu transceivers as a result. The power for the internal audio buffer is drawn from the isolated interface power, maintaining complete isolation between the transceiver and the computer. The cables are now separate, instead of requiring a jumper between the two transceiver connectors. An updated IsoCat and cable schematic are available. See the Alternate buffer power article for more information. |
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April 2008 |
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Tuesday, 29 April 2008 20:49 |
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I didn't get to go to any of the shows last fall, and missed Belton due to family commitments. Not looking so good for HamCom either. Probably the next show will be Summerfest in August. This depends on whether our newest grandchild sticks to his/her arrival prediction. I have been busy trying to work the kinks out of a way to produce completed IsoCats for sale, but not having a lot of success in keeping it economical and efficient. I am nearing completion on several units for the next show, however. I also have a new product in the wings and hope to have it ready for sale by the next show. This one won't be a kit, however, as it is all surface mount. I'll build the first batch myself. After that, I am looking at turnkey production houses to get reasonable quantity and keep costs down. More on this exciting new accessory later. I have also updated the website to make it easier to manage and to prepare it for growth. As I add projects, the website needs to grow with them. I am also considering setting up an interactive area where builders can exchange ideas and submit questions. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 02 May 2008 23:07 )
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